Lecture 2A: The Physics of Flight: Lift and Weight

Welcome to module 2 of this MOOC on Sustainable Aviation. This module, various lecturers will be teaching you how exactly an aircraft manages to fly!

To show you where we can make changes to make aviation more sustainable, we will explore what drives the performance of an aircraft in the most general sense. As Prof. Werij mentioned last module, flying has always been a dream of humanity, and, considering the fact that you’re taking this MOOC, perhaps also a dream of yours! So how exactly did we manage to achieve flight? Let’s find out!

Prof. Jacco Hoekstra will kick off this module by explaining the physics behind flight, starting with the most essential force: the lift required to overcome gravity.

This module will feature some engineering physics and mathematics. If this is not your strongest point, sit back and enjoy the general concepts.

Enjoy!

The SA01x Team