After liftoff, how does thrust compare to drag?

After liftoff, thrust is greater than drag to ensure the aircraft can gain altitude and accelerate away from the runway. During the initial climb phase, the pilot requires a thrust that exceeds drag to achieve a positive rate of climb.

Thrust must overcome not only the aerodynamic drag created by the aircraft's shape moving through the air but also the weight of the aircraft. By having thrust greater than drag, the aircraft can maintain the necessary airspeed, climb efficiently, and achieve safe operational performance in the climb phase.

In contrast, if thrust were equal to or less than drag, the aircraft would not be able to climb or could potentially enter a descent. Additionally, thrust being variable with drag is not applicable in the context of liftoff, as during this phase, it is critical that thrust remains consistently greater to ensure successful flight operations.