Definition
In aerodynamics, the single combined force produced when two or more separate forces act on an object at the same time. In a level turn, the resultant is the combined effect of the vertical component of lift (which holds the airplane up) and the horizontal component of lift (which pulls the airplane around the turn).
Plain English
When two forces pull on something in different directions, they add up to one overall force that points somewhere between them. That combined force is the resultant.
Context Anchor
Seen in discussions of level turns, bank angle, and the load the airplane must support while turning.
Derivation
From the Latin resultare, meaning 'to spring back' or 'to follow as a consequence.' The resultant is the force that 'results' when other forces are combined.
Why Pilots Care
The magnitude of the resultant determines how much total lift the wings must produce, directly affecting stall speed and structural load in turns.
Analogy
Think of two people pulling a shopping trolley with ropes -- one pulling forward, one pulling sideways. The trolley doesn't move in either rope's direction; it moves along a single combined path between them. That combined path is the resultant.
Intuition Check
Resultant does not mean “important result” or “final answer” in a general sense here. It means the single combined force or effect created by other forces acting together.
Example Sentence 1
When the airplane is banked in a level turn, the resultant of the vertical and horizontal lift components is what actually supports the airplane and curves its path through the sky.
Example Sentence 2
The load factor rises because the wings must produce a larger resultant to supply both vertical lift and the horizontal force needed for the turn.