During a climb, what must occur between thrust and drag?

During a climb, thrust must exceed drag to generate a net force that allows the aircraft to ascend. In flight dynamics, drag opposes the forward motion of the aircraft, and thrust is the force propelling it forward. For an aircraft to gain altitude, the thrust needs to overcome not only the drag but also to provide additional force to climb.

When an aircraft climbs, it requires excess power to maintain a rate of ascent. This excess thrust compensates for the drag that increases with speed and also accounts for the angle of climb which can generate additional induced drag. Therefore, the scenario in which thrust exceeds drag allows the aircraft to increase its altitude effectively.

In contrast, if thrust equals drag, the aircraft would maintain level flight, and if thrust is less than drag, the aircraft would descend. Thus, understanding the relationship between thrust and drag is crucial for maneuvering properly during a climb.