During a steep turn, what happens to the horizontal component of lift?

During a steep turn, the aircraft banks to one side, which alters the direction of the lift vector. In level flight, lift is directed vertically upwards, opposing the weight of the aircraft. However, during a turn, a portion of the lift vector is redirected horizontally to provide the necessary centripetal force for the turn.

As the bank increases, the angle of the lift vector tilts. The vertical component of lift must still counteract the weight of the aircraft to maintain altitude, but the horizontal component of lift becomes crucial in providing the necessary force to maintain the turn. This horizontal component increases as the angle of bank increases, allowing the aircraft to maintain altitude while turning steeply. Therefore, it aids in sustaining the flight path and keeping the aircraft level despite the increased load factor due to the banked turn.

Maintaining altitude requires that the total lift remains effectively equal to the weight of the aircraft, and since the horizontal component is being utilized to facilitate the turn, it indeed increases and plays a critical role in flight dynamics during that maneuver.