Definition
The aerodynamic and inertial forces acting on an aircraft during a turn, in which the horizontal component of lift pulls the aircraft into the curved path while the vertical component of lift continues to support its weight. Because lift must be divided between these two roles, total lift must increase during a turn to maintain altitude, which in turn increases load factor and stall speed.
Plain English
When an aircraft turns, it doesn't just steer — it banks, and the lift from the wings starts pulling sideways as well as up. To keep from sinking, the pilot must produce more total lift, which makes the aircraft feel heavier and changes how it handles.
Context Anchor
Seen when learning banked turns, steep turns, stalls in turns, and why a pilot often needs more back pressure in a level turn.
Why Pilots Care
Correct force balance prevents slips or skids and keeps the turn safe and efficient.
Grounding Statement
In a turn, the wings are doing two jobs at once: holding the aircraft up and pulling it around the curve. The steeper the bank, the harder both jobs become.
Intuition Check
Do not think of a turn as the rudder simply swinging the nose around. In normal turning flight, the bank tilts lift, and that tilted lift is what pulls the airplane around the turn.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor reviewed the forces in turns before the student attempted steep turns, emphasizing why back pressure and power must increase as bank angle increases.
Example Sentence 2
At 45 degrees of bank the horizontal component of lift provides the centripetal force that keeps the airplane turning at the desired rate.