Factors that Affect Lift All that is necessary to create lift is to turn a flow of air. An aerodynamic, curved airfoil will turn a flow. But so will a simple flat plate, if it is inclined to the flow. The fuselage of an airplane will also generate lift if it is inclined to the flow. For that matter, an automobile body also turns the flow through which it moves, generating a force.
Any physical body moving through a fluid can create lift if it produces a net turning of the flow.
There are many factors that affect the turning of the flow, which creates lift. At the top of the figure, aircraft wing geometry has a large effect on the amount of lift generated. The airfoil shape and wing size will both affect the amount of lift. To generate lift, we have to move the object through the air. The lift then depends on the velocity of the air and how the object is inclined to the flow.