Bluskis-
In a steady state climb (constant direction, rate of climb and airspeed) the forces acting on an aircraft are in equilibrium. Furthermore, lift is less than weight in this state. The NASA site referenced earlier in this thread (p 2 I think) is an excellent resource for this kind of issue. So is AC Kermode's primer on Aerodynamics - I can't remember the exact title. It's up to edition 10 now I think.
Your use of the equation
F =
W/
gx
a is out of context. In a steady state climb the aircraft is not accelerating - all speeds, rates of climb, directions are constant and unchanging in direction and magnitude. Thus "a" is zero. Thus net (total, sum, add-em-all-up-and-what-do-you-get) force F is zero, as many preceding posts have stated.
Yes, lift really is less than weight and forces are in equilibrium.
Really!
happy flying,
O8
