ground effect

Ground effect is what happens when a plane, like an airplane, flies close to the ground. The ground can affect the plane because when it gets close, the air moving over the wings starts to bend downward, creating an area of low pressure (a mini-vacuum) that lifts the plane up and helps it to stay in the air longer. It's like a cushion that helps keep the plane from falling and lets it stay in the air. That's why you can sometimes see planes fly really low over the ground before they land.