I would like to suggest that the recent discussion of the origin of lift
(which seems to be rehashed over and over and over again on this list, as
well as elsewhere) could benefit from a consultation of the literature.
(Yes, even in the age of the Internet, it serves us well to make careful
study of published, peer-reviewed materials.) I recommend the following
sources:
* Alexander, R. McNeill. Exploring Biomechanics: Animals in Motion.
Scientific American Library, 1992. Chapters 4 and 5 of this excellent
semi-quantitative introduction to biomechanics describe the gliding,
soaring, and flapping flight of birds and insects. There are some nice
three-dimensional depictions of the airflow around aircraft and birds in
flight. The author is a professor of zoology at the University of Leeds.
* Anderson, John D., Jr. A History of Aerodynamics and Its Impact on Flying
Machines. Cambridge University Press, 1997. A very extensive technical
history (fully half the book covers the centuries before the Wright
Brothers). The author is a professor of aerospace engineering at the
University of Maryland.
* Ashley, Holt. Engineering Analysis of Flight Vehicles. Addison-Wesley,
1974. Reprinted by Dover Publications, 1992. A superb graduate-level
textbook that should be accessible to anyone with a physics degree. The
book has clear, quantitative discussions of two- and three-dimensional
wings. The author was a professor in the Department of Aeronautics and
Astronautics at Stanford University (and an excellent teacher, as I can
attest from personal experience).
* Hubin. W. N. The Science of Flight: Pilot-Oriented Aerodynamics. Iowa
State University Press, 1992. Written by a physicist (on the faculty at
Kent State) who is also a pilot. The book has a wealth of real-life
examples based on data from light airplanes. The extent of quantitative
detail should be satisying to anyone reading this list.
* Hurt, H. H, Jr.. Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators. U. S. Navy Publication
NAVAIR 00-80T-80, 1960. (Reprinted by Aviation Supplies and Academics,
Inc., and available from Aviation Book Co., 7201 Perimeter Road S., Suite
C, Seattle WA 98108) Very clear textbook with excellent discussions of the
three-dimensional aspects of airflow around aircraft. The author was on the
faculty of the University of Southern California.
As an aside, from my experience as a pilot I can attest that what *really*
makes airplanes fly is MONEY! (There is a wonderful T-shirt for pilots that
carries the slogan "If God had meant man to fly, he would have given him
more money.")