Learning goals
- Describe lift, weight, thrust and drag as a balance
- Explain why angle of attack, not attitude, decides a stall
In straight, level, unaccelerated flight the opposing forces are in balance: lift equals weight and thrust equals drag. The handbook adds that this simple statement can mislead — in climbs and descents the forces resolve differently — but it is the right starting picture.
Lift depends on the wing's angle of attack — the angle between the chord line and the relative wind — together with airspeed and air density. A wing stalls when it exceeds its critical angle of attack, and that can happen at any airspeed or attitude. A nose-low, high-speed pull can stall a wing just as surely as a slow, nose-high climb.
Assigned reading
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C (2023) with MOSAIC addendum (Oct 2025))
Chapter 5: Aerodynamics of Flight (forces, angle of attack, stalls); Chapter 4: Principles of Flight · Federal Aviation Administration · reviewed 2026-10-21
Self-check
Original practice questions for self-assessment only — not FAA test questions and not a certification.
Study preparation only. Not FAA-approved ground training, no endorsement, logbook or flight-time credit, and no guaranteed test result. Always follow your instructor and the approved AFM/POH for your aircraft.