V1 is a takeoff reference speed used in transport aircraft performance planning. It connects two questions: can the aircraft stop within the calculated accelerate-stop distance, and can it continue after the assumed failure of its critical engine? This is an explanation for aviation enthusiasts, rather than a procedure for conducting a rejected takeoff.
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An airplane flies because its wings and propulsion system interact with the air. The useful starting point is four forces: lift, weight, thrust and drag. In steady, level, unaccelerated flight, the upward and downward forces balance, as do the forward and backward forces. Climbing, descending and turning involve changes to that balance and to the flight path.
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Satire: this is an aviation joke, not a factual explanation of flight. If airplanes flew using magic, flight school would have a very different syllabus. Lesson one: never leave your wand in a checked bag. Lesson two: the checklist is still mandatory, even when your instructor is a wizard.
Continue reading Do Airplanes Fly Using Magic? Aviation Satire