How do biplanes fly?

[Taildragger]

I've been corresponding via email with a new student pilot and he asked an interesting question that I don't know the answer to. So...I submit it to the biplane nuthouse for debate.

"Hey, how do biplanes stay aloft? I thought that biplanes would normally have issues getting off the ground because the top wing would be pushing air down onto the bottom wing thereby inefficiently causing lift, but yet they still get off the ground. How?"

 

[Dennis Flamini]

 

[cwilliamrose]

 

[Jerry]

 

[grassroots]

 

[JoeyC]

 

[navybipe]

 

[grassroots]

 

[Larry Lyons]

 

[cwilliamrose]

 

[PittsDriver68]

 

[darylat8750]

 

[Morphewb]

 

[gotime242]

 

[GoldenAge]

 

[Larry Lyons]

 

[christopher]

 

[gotime242]

 

[christopher]

 

[StinsonPilot]