# Compressor stalls on jets: why flame out the back?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compressor-stalls-on-jets-why-flame-out-the-back/752298>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 15, 2016, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compressor-stalls-on-jets-why-flame-out-the-back/752298 "2016-04-15T19:05:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\
**Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/compressor-stalls-on-jets-why-flame-out-the-back/752298/7 "2016-04-15T22:51:54Z")

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> [@wolfpup](#):
>
> True, but the wing analogy is misleading. Airfoils mostly don’t “shove air downward” although flaps do

Sure they do. The upward force on a wing is exactly counterbalanced by the acceleration of air downwards.

How that acceleration happens is by a variety of (partially overlapping) mechanisms, but regardless, airfoils absolutely “shove air downwards” as their primary purpose in life.

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