AVIATION FOUNDATION · MODULE 03

Principles of Flight

An interactive introduction to lift, the four forces of flight, angle of attack, stall, and real-world aircraft applications.

4 LESSONSINTERACTIVE MODELSKNOWLEDGE CHECKGRADES 9–12
LESSON 01 / FUNDAMENTALS

How a wing creates lift

A wing changes the motion of air, deflecting it downward. Air exerts an upward aerodynamic force on the wing. Pressure distribution and airflow direction are both parts of the explanation.

Airflow around an airfoil

LIFT ↑DownwashIllustration • not to scale
Lift is not caused by air particles having to meet again at the trailing edge. The 'equal transit time' explanation is a misconception.

Look for three ideas

AirflowThe air moves around the wing.
PressurePressure is distributed unevenly.
DownwashThe wing deflects air downward.
LiftThe resulting force acts upward.
Animation is conceptual and does not solve real airflow equations.
LESSON 02 / FLIGHT BALANCE

The four forces of flight

Lift, weight, thrust, and drag act on aircraft. Their balance changes speed and flight path, but the exact response depends on mass, orientation, and aerodynamic conditions.

Change the forces

LiftWeightThrustDrag
This model compares force magnitudes only; arrows are not a flight dynamics simulator.

Force experiment

LESSON 03 / AERODYNAMICS

Angle of attack and stall

Angle of attack (AoA) is the angle between the wing's chord line and the relative wind. Lift generally grows with AoA at first; beyond critical AoA, airflow separation causes a stall.

Interactive airfoil orientation

Relative wind →5° AoAConcept diagram

Change angle of attack

Watch how the conceptual flow changes when the wing approaches a critical angle.

Important: A stall is an angle-of-attack eventAn aircraft can stall at various airspeeds and attitudes. The critical angle varies by wing and conditions.
Illustrative threshold set to 15° for this classroom visualization; it is not a SeaRey performance specification or operational guidance.
LESSON 04 / TRANSFER

Apply your learning

Connect aerodynamic ideas to a real aircraft, then check your understanding.

SeaRey: an amphibious example

Amphibious aircraftConcept illustration • not a technical drawing
SeaRey combines aerodynamic flight with a boat-like hull for water operation. Hull drag and water conditions matter for takeoff, but safe operation requires official aircraft documentation and qualified instruction.
Field task · For Growth Record

During a museum or airfield visit, identify a wing, tail surface, and propeller on one aircraft. Explain how each contributes to flight in 3–5 sentences. Attach a sketch or authorized photo.

Quick check · 5 questions

A score of 4/5 is a suggested learning milestone; this demo does not submit to PAI student accounts.