Definition
The apparent forces felt by occupants and acting on the airframe during maneuvering, expressed as a multiple of the force of gravity at rest. One G equals the normal weight of the aircraft and its occupants in straight-and-level flight. In a maneuver that produces 2 Gs, everything aboard effectively weighs twice as much as it does on the ground.
Plain English
The pulling or pushing feeling you and the airplane experience during turns, pull-ups, or pushovers, measured as how many times normal weight you feel at that moment.
Context Anchor
Seen in steep turns, stalls, aerobatic discussions, aircraft limitations, and any maneuver where the airplane changes direction or speed strongly.
Derivation
The 'G' stands for gravity. Using gravity as the reference unit makes load on the body and airframe easy to compare to everyday standing-still weight.
Why Pilots Care
In steep turns, G-forces above the airplane's design limits can overstress the airframe, while high values can reduce blood flow to the pilot's brain and cause gray-out or blackout.
Analogy
It is like riding in an elevator that starts upward quickly: for a moment, your body feels heavier. In a steep turn, the same kind of “heavier than normal” feeling can happen and last longer.
Grounding Statement
In a level 60-degree banked turn, you and the airplane feel twice as heavy as normal -- that is 2 Gs.
Intuition Check
G-forces are not engine power and not a special kind of gravity. They are a way to describe how much force the pilot and airplane feel compared with normal weight.
Example Sentence 1
During the steep turn, the pilot felt the increased G-forces press them into the seat as the bank angle reached 45 degrees.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot anticipates higher G-forces when rolling out of the turn to maintain smooth control inputs.