Definition
The forward force produced by an airplane's powerplant (propeller or jet engine) that propels the airplane through the air, opposing drag and enabling acceleration, climb, and sustained flight.
Plain English
The forward push the engine and propeller (or jet) create to move the airplane through the air.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of airplane energy management, takeoff, climb, cruise, and any situation where the pilot changes engine power to control speed or altitude.
Derivation
Thrust comes from the Old English thrūstan, meaning to push or shove. That everyday meaning carries straight across: the engine is pushing the airplane forward.
Why Pilots Care
Engine thrust supplies the energy needed to overcome drag and control airspeed or climb performance.
Intuition Check
Engine thrust is not the same thing as engine power or airspeed. Power is what the engine can produce; thrust is the actual forward push acting on the airplane.
Example Sentence 1
On takeoff, the pilot smoothly advanced the throttle to full and felt the airplane accelerate as engine thrust overcame drag and rolling resistance.
Example Sentence 2
With reduced engine thrust the airplane began to slow as drag overcame the remaining forward force.