Wings are a critical part of airplanes because they are used for lifting, turning, landing, and controlling the airplane! Without wings, airplanes simply could not fly! Wings usually have smooth surfaces, are curved on top, and flat on bottom.

Planes need wings to generate lift, the upward force that counteracts the weight of the aircraft. This is achieved through a combination of two physical principles: Bernoulli’s Principle and Newton’s Third Law of Motion. Airplane wings are shaped as "airfoils," meaning they are curved on top and flatter on the bottom. As the plane moves forward, air travels faster over the curved top surface, creating an area of lower pressure compared to the air underneath. This pressure differential "sucks" the wing upward. Simultaneously, the wing is tilted at an "angle of attack," which deflects the air downward as it passes. According to Newton’s law, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, so as the wing pushes the air down, the air pushes the wing up. Without wings to redirect airflow and create this pressure imbalance, a heavy aircraft could not overcome gravity, regardless of how powerful its engines are.