In trying to figure this out I have a couple of facts I cling to in order to understand:
1. On fixed wing aircraft, the engines provide a fraction (like 1/2, 1/3 whatever) of the force needed to lift the aircraft. I realize a few aircraft actually produce more thrust than weight.
Question is, where is the extra force coming from? It would seem a conservation principle is violated here.
2. Helicopter engines produce enough HP to lift their max weight at 1 g if they were on a cable. I.e. their "thrust" is equal or greater than their weight. I believe this allows hovering.
3. In level flight of a fixed wing, the weight of the aircraft is equal to the mass of the air being accelarated downward. (Newton)
Am I close? Or should I just go back to playing MSFS?
Therefore, I guess that the column of air collapsing into the lower pressure area behind the aircraft adds the missing force in the case of fixed wing aircraft with less thrust than weight.