Quote:
Originally Posted by rkittine
You have to remember that the wing provides considerable lift. A light plane weighing 1600 pounds can still got over 100 knots with a 145 hp engine. You can hand push your 2000 pound boat when it is in the water.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Absalom
I’m a horrible physics teacher, but as has been indicated already, pounds of thrust and pounds of weight are not in any linear, direct relationship. The thrust translates into forward speed which generates lift via the airfoil shape of the wings. A plane is not a rocket, where the thrust lifts the craft directly.
A single-pilot glider produces no thrust at all, usually weighs between 500 and 1000 lbs. and still flies just using gravity, and thermals for climbing.
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Except OP is asking about vertical climbing. In that case, the F16 is going to be more like a rocket than a plane, and thrust-to-weight is going to be a lot more important than the lift of the wings.