Flight Computer Indicated Airspeed Thrust 
Professional Pilot
JULY 7, 2025
Every pilot knows that aircraft fly because the forces of lift and thrust balance or exceed the weight and drag countering them. Both thrust and lift rely on airfoils (eg, wings, turbine blades, and propellers) so any time temperature is higher than ISA or pressure is lower, density is below normal, reducing both lift and thrust.
Pilot Institute
MARCH 26, 2025
These include lift, propeller thrust, and engine combustion. This actually decreases the engine’s efficiency in converting engine power into thrust. Reduced thrust means decreased aircraft performance and fuel efficiency. Jet engines also experience reduced thrust in less dense air.
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