Final answer:
Tilting the rotor into forward flight would decrease the total amount of lift if no power adjustment is made, because less of the rotor's thrust is directed downward, which is typically countered by an increase in power to maintain altitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
When tilting the rotor of an aircraft like a helicopter into forward flight without making an adjustment to your power setting, the total amount of lift decreases.
This is because tilt rotor aircraft rely on the rotors for both lift and propulsion. When the rotors are tilted forward, less of the rotor's thrust is directed downwards to counteract gravity, thus reducing the vertical lift component. In order to maintain altitude, an increase in power would generally be required to compensate for the loss of vertical lift.
Tilting the rotor does not change the total lift reaction; it redirects it. If the power setting remains unchanged, the available energy is now being shared between lifting and propelling the aircraft forward. The forward movement comes at the expense of some lifting capability.
The discussion involves principles of flight dynamics and the conservation of energy and momentum which are fundamental in the field of aeronautical engineering.