Lift and Weight in Straight and Level.

[tgrayson]

We all know that the horizontal component of lift makes the airplane turn.

Oh, I don't know about that. One instructor here recently posted:

In the air, when we want to turn the airplane into another direction, we push the rudder in that direction, and we can also bank the airplane in that direction to avoid skidding.

 

[tgrayson]

VDEE7:

I meant to comment on this very astute observation:

I like how all your answers are based on your "Core concepts". They seem simple but they're really involved in pretty much everything.

As you can see, that's why they're called "Core Concepts". Unless they are understood, the pilot can have no technical understanding of aircraft flight. There are some situations in which some of them aren't completely true (such as Lift < Weight in a climb) but the error is trivial under normal circumstances.

It's a bit like learning to play a sport, such as tennis. You have to develop some proficiency in forehands, backhands, overheads and serves before you have any useful tools to play the game; until then, all you can do is flail about with the raquet, more of a danger to yourself than the ball.

 

[B767Driver]

Oh, I don't know about that. One instructor here recently posted:

Aww, he'd just been drinking too much after a hard day of flying.