Introduction

Principles of Flight – Straight and Level teaches students the core skill every pilot must master: maintaining level flight at a constant altitude. This chapter explains the four main forces acting on an aircraft, and how pilots balance them to fly straight and steady. You’ll also discover how pitch attitude changes with different airspeeds in level flight.

In this lesson, you’ll explore the four main forces that act on an aircraft—lift, weight, thrust, and drag—and learn how pilots balance them to keep the plane flying straight and level. You’ll also discover how different airspeeds affect the aircraft’s pitch attitude, from slow cruise to fast cruise, and why this balance is the foundation for every other flying skill you’ll master in the future.