Forces of Flight

There are four main forces of flight: Thrust, drag, lift, and weight.

Four forces of flight

In RC aircraft, thrust comes from our motors and propellers. Drag acts opposite of thrust and comes from the friction/interaction between the plane and the air. Weight is the earth’s gravity acting on the plane, and lift is an upwards force created by the plane’s wings.

Lift

Lift is a complex topic not easily explained in a few sentences. This video (10 mins) gives an in-depth explanation of lift if you’re interested. If not, a simplified explanation states that planes generate lift by redirecting the airflow over their wings towards the ground, creating an "equal and opposite" force upward on the plane.

Drag