If thrust is 45 pounds how much weight can that lift?

Answer 1

If the thrust is directed straight down and torque is counteracted, the weight it can lift is less than 45 pounds. It requires at least 45 pounds of thrust just to make 45pounds of vtol aircraft hover . It takes more than that to make it climb vertically up. To climb implies an acceleration against gravity and it takes at least 45 pounds thrust just to balance gravity's pull against a 45pound mass. With a winged aircraft the thrust can be less than the total weight of the aircraft and it can still fly and climb with less thrust than the mass of the plane. A high lift to drag ratio of the wing and effective wing area means that the thrust of the plane overcomes the drag of the plane. The wing's passage through the air creates the lift. The drag caused by the creation of 45pounds of lift is less than 45 pounds for an efficient wing.