Drag and Lift
The
relative wind acting on the airplane produces a certain amount of force
which is called (unsurprisingly) the total aerodynamic force.
This force can be resolved into components, called lift and drag.
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Lift is the
component of aerodynamic force perpendicular to the relative wind. |
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Drag is the
component of aerodynamic force parallel to the relative wind. |
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Weight is the
force directed downward from the center of mass of the airplane
towards the center of the earth. It is proportional to the mass of the
airplane times the strength of the gravitational field. |
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Thrust is the
force produced by the engine. It is directed forward along the axis of
the engine (which is usually more or less parallel to the long axis of
the airplane). |
These are
the official definitions.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_drag
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