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Originally Posted by Undertoad
I've never heard this before. But no, a plane takes off because its wings generate lift, which it can only do when moving forward.
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UT got it right first.
http://travel.howstuffworks.com/airplane4.htm
A Few Words About FluidAs we mentioned, a principal concept in aerodynamics is the idea that air is a fluid. Like all gases, air flows and behaves in a similar manner to water and other liquids. Even though air, water and pancake syrup may seem like very different substances, they all conform to the same set of mathematical relationships. In fact, basic aerodynamic tests are sometimes performed underwater.
Another important concept is the fact that lift can exist only in the presence of a moving fluid. This is also true for drag. It doesn't matter if the object is stationary and the fluid is moving, or if the fluid is still and the object is moving through it. What really matters is the relative difference in speeds between the object and the fluid