How do jets fly? They can't flap their wings like a bird. But they do have large wings that have a special shape so they can fly without flapping. They have engines to give them power. A jet engine pulls air into itself then rushes it out the back. This pushes the jet through the air. This is called thrust. This thrust causes air to flow quickly over the wing. The special shape of the wing makes the air go faster over the top of the wing. The faster air going over the top creates low air pressure. The air going under the wing is slower and has high air pressure. This is called lift. Lift is what makes the plane go up. The weight of the plane is what pulls the jet back down. If a jet is to fly, the lift must be greater than the weight.