Array ( [0] => {{short description|Vehicle or machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air}} [1] => {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} [2] => {{For|the railway station in Melbourne|Aircraft railway station}} [3] => [[File:Cessna 172S Skyhawk ‘G-JMKE’ (45077563364).jpg|thumb|The [[Cessna 172]] ''Skyhawk'' is the [[List of most-produced aircraft|most produced aircraft]] in history.]] [4] => [5] => An '''aircraft''' ({{plural form}}: aircraft) is a [[vehicle]] that is able to [[flight|fly]] by gaining support from the [[Atmosphere of Earth|air]]. It counters the force of gravity by using either [[Buoyancy|static lift]] or the [[Lift (force)|dynamic lift]] of an [[airfoil]],{{Cite web|url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aircraft|title=Aircraft — Define Aircraft at Dictionary.com|work=Dictionary.com|access-date=1 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328141634/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aircraft|archive-date=28 March 2015}} or, in a few cases, direct [[Powered lift|downward thrust]] from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include [[airplane]]s, [[helicopter]]s, [[airship]]s (including [[blimp]]s), [[Glider (aircraft)|gliders]], [[Powered paragliding|paramotors]], and [[hot air balloon]]s.{{Cite web|title=Different Kinds & Types of Aircraft|url=http://www.wingsoverkansas.com/features/a1037/|website=wingsoverkansas.com|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161121165354/http://www.wingsoverkansas.com/features/a1037/|archive-date=21 November 2016}} [6] => [7] => The human activity that surrounds aircraft is called ''[[aviation]]''. The science of aviation, including designing and building aircraft, is called ''[[aeronautics]].'' [[Aircrew|Crewed]] aircraft are flown by an onboard [[Aircraft pilot|pilot]], whereas [[unmanned aerial vehicle]]s may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard [[computer]]s. Aircraft may be classified by different criteria, such as lift type, [[Powered aircraft#Methods of propulsion|aircraft propulsion]] (if any), usage and others. [8] => [9] => == History == [10] => {{Main|History of aviation}} [11] => {{See also|Timeline of aviation}} [12] => Flying model craft and stories of manned [[flight]] go back many centuries; however, the first manned ascent — and safe descent — in modern times took place by larger hot-air balloons developed in the 18th century. Each of the two [[World Wars]] led to great technical advances. Consequently, the history of aircraft can be divided into five eras: [13] => * [[Early flying machines|Pioneers of flight]], from the earliest experiments to 1914. [14] => * [[Aviation in World War I|First World War]], 1914 to 1918. [15] => * [[Aviation between the World Wars]], 1918 to 1939. [16] => * [[Air warfare of World War II|Second World War]], 1939 to 1945. [17] => * [[Post-war|Postwar era]], also called the [[Jet Age]], 1945 to the present day. [18] => [19] => == Methods of lift == [20] => [21] => === Lighter than air – aerostats{{Anchor|Lighter than air}} === [22] => {{Main|Aerostat}} [23] => [[File:Colorado Springs Hot Air Balloon Competition.jpg|thumb|Hot air [[Balloon (aeronautics)|balloons]]]] [24] => [[File:USS Akron (ZRS-4) in flight over Manhattan, circa 1931-1933.jpg|thumb|Airship [[USS Akron|USS ''Akron'']] over Manhattan in the 1930s]] [25] => [26] => [[Aerostat]]s use [[buoyancy]] to float in the air in much the same way that ships float on the water. They are characterized by one or more large cells or canopies, filled with a relatively low-density gas such as [[helium]], [[hydrogen]], or [[hot air balloon|hot air]], which is less dense than the surrounding air. When the weight of this is added to the weight of the aircraft structure, it adds up to the same weight as the air that the craft displaces. [27] => [28] => Small hot-air balloons, called [[sky lantern]]s, were first invented in ancient China prior to the 3rd century BC and used primarily in cultural celebrations, and were only the second type of aircraft to fly, the first being [[kite]]s, which were first invented in ancient China over two thousand years ago (see [[History of science and technology in China#Han dynasty|Han Dynasty]]). [29] => [30] => A [[Balloon (aeronautics)|balloon]] was originally any aerostat, while the term [[airship]] was used for large, powered aircraft designs — usually fixed-wing.[http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth172915/ US patent 467069] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223070653/http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark%3A/67531/metapth172915/ |date=23 February 2014}} "Air-ship" referring to a compound aerostat/rotorcraft.[[Ezekiel Airship]] (1902) [http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/History_of_the_Airplane/History_of_the_Airplane_Intro/History_of_the_Airplane_Intro.htm wright-brothers.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203131729/http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/History_of_the_Airplane/History_of_the_Airplane_Intro/History_of_the_Airplane_Intro.htm |date=3 December 2013}}[http://altereddimensions.net/2012/burrell-cannon-flies-first-airplane altereddimensions.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222065900/http://altereddimensions.net/2012/burrell-cannon-flies-first-airplane |date=22 February 2014}} "airship," – referring to an HTA aeroplane.[http://gustavewhitehead.org/news_journalism/1901_-_flying.html The Bridgeport Herald, August 18, 1901] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130803021718/http://gustavewhitehead.org/news_journalism/1901_-_flying.html |date=3 August 2013}} – "air ship" referring to Whitehead's aeroplane.Cooley Airship of 1910, also called the Cooley monoplane.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/Aviations_Attic/UFOs/UFOs.htm |title=Unbelievable Flying Objects |access-date=10 February 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102031147/http://www.wright-brothers.org/History_Wing/Aviations_Attic/UFOs/UFOs.htm |archive-date=2 November 2013 }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.xpolet.eu.org |title=Round Aircraft Designs |access-date=7 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402075442/http://celticowboy.com/Round%20Aircraft%20Designs.htm |archive-date=2 April 2012 }} – a heavier-than-air monoplane.Frater, A.; ''The Balloon Factory'', Picador (2009), p. 163. Wright brothers' "airship."[http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=879 George Griffith, ''The angel of the Revolution'', 1893] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222154830/http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=879 |date=22 February 2014}} — "air-ship," "vessel" referring to a VTOL compound rotorcraft (not clear from the reference if it might be an aerostat hybrid.) In 1919, [[Frederick Handley Page]] was reported as referring to "ships of the air," with smaller passenger types as "Air yachts."[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19190224.2.104 Auckland Star, 24 February 1919] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324163806/http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=AS19190224.2.104 |date=24 March 2014}} "Ships of the air," "Air yachts" – passenger landplanes large and small In the 1930s, large intercontinental flying boats were also sometimes referred to as "ships of the air" or "flying-ships".[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17455790 The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 11 April 1938] – "ship of the airs," "flying-ship," referring to a large flying-boat.[http://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/america-by-air/online/innovation/innovation16.cfm Smithsonian, America by air] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118135217/http://airandspace.si.edu/exhibitions/america-by-air/online/innovation/innovation16.cfm |date=18 January 2014}} "Ships of the Air" referring to Pan Am's Boeing Clipper flying-boat fleet. — though none had yet been built. The advent of powered balloons, called dirigible balloons, and later of rigid hulls allowing a great increase in size, began to change the way these words were used. Huge powered aerostats, characterized by a [[rigid airship|rigid]] outer framework and separate aerodynamic skin surrounding the gas bags, were produced, the [[Zeppelin]]s being the largest and most famous. There were still no fixed-wing aircraft or non-rigid balloons large enough to be called airships, so "airship" came to be synonymous with these aircraft. Then several accidents, such as the [[Hindenburg disaster]] in 1937, led to the demise of these airships. Nowadays a "balloon" is an unpowered aerostat and an "airship" is a powered one. [31] => [32] => A powered, steerable aerostat is called a ''[[Airship|dirigible]]''. Sometimes this term is applied only to non-rigid balloons, and sometimes ''dirigible balloon'' is regarded as the definition of an airship (which may then be rigid or non-rigid). Non-rigid dirigibles are characterized by a moderately [[Aerodynamics|aerodynamic]] gasbag with stabilizing fins at the back. These soon became known as ''[[blimp]]s''. During [[World War II]], this shape was widely adopted for [[Barrage balloon|tethered balloons]]; in windy weather, this both reduces the strain on the tether and stabilizes the balloon. The nickname ''blimp'' was adopted along with the shape. In modern times, any small dirigible or airship is called a blimp, though a blimp may be unpowered as well as powered. [33] => [34] => === Heavier-than-air – aerodynes{{Anchor|Heavier than air}} === [35] => [36] => Heavier-than-air aircraft, such as [[airplane]]s, must find some way to push air or gas downwards so that a reaction occurs (by Newton's laws of motion) to push the aircraft upwards. This dynamic movement through the air is the origin of the term. There are two ways to produce dynamic upthrust — [[aerodynamics|aerodynamic lift]], and [[powered lift]] in the form of engine thrust. [37] => [38] => Aerodynamic lift involving [[wing]]s is the most common, with [[fixed-wing aircraft]] being kept in the air by the forward movement of wings, and [[rotorcraft]] by spinning wing-shaped [[Helicopter rotor|rotors]] sometimes called "rotary wings." A wing is a flat, horizontal surface, usually shaped in cross-section as an [[airfoil|aerofoil]]. To fly, air must flow over the wing and generate [[Lift (force)|lift]]. A ''flexible wing'' is a wing made of fabric or thin sheet material, often stretched over a rigid frame. A ''[[kite]]'' is tethered to the ground and relies on the speed of the wind over its wings, which may be flexible or rigid, fixed, or rotary. [39] => [40] => With powered lift, the aircraft directs its engine thrust [[Vertical and horizontal|vertically]] downward. [[V/STOL]] aircraft, such as the [[Harrier jump jet]] and [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II#F-35B|Lockheed Martin F-35B]] take off and land vertically using powered lift and transfer to aerodynamic lift in steady flight. [41] => [42] => A pure [[rocket]] is not usually regarded as an aerodyne because it does not depend on the air for its lift (and can even fly into space); however, many aerodynamic lift vehicles have been powered or assisted by rocket motors. Rocket-powered missiles that obtain aerodynamic lift at very high speed due to airflow over their bodies are a marginal case. [43] => [44] => ==== Fixed-wing ==== [45] => {{Main|Fixed-wing aircraft}} [46] => [[File:Emirates Airbus A380-861 A6-EER MUC 2015 04.jpg|thumb|An [[Airbus A380]], the world's largest passenger [[airliner]]]] [47] => The forerunner of the fixed-wing aircraft is the [[kite]]. Whereas a fixed-wing aircraft relies on its forward speed to create airflow over the wings, a kite is tethered to the ground and relies on the [[wind]] blowing over its wings to provide lift. Kites were the first kind of aircraft to fly and [[History of science and technology in China|were invented in China]] around 500 BC. Much aerodynamic research was done with kites before test aircraft, [[wind tunnel]]s, and computer modelling programs became available. [48] => [49] => The first heavier-than-air craft capable of controlled free-flight were [[glider (aircraft)|gliders]]. A glider designed by [[George Cayley]] carried out the first true manned, controlled flight in 1853. The first powered and controllable fixed-wing aircraft (the [[airplane]] or aeroplane) was invented by [[Wright brothers|Wilbur and Orville Wright]]. [50] => [51] => Besides the method of [[#Propulsion|propulsion]] (if any), fixed-wing aircraft are in general characterized by their [[wing configuration]]. The most important wing characteristics are: [52] => * Number of wings — [[Monoplane]], [[biplane]], [[triplane]], or [[Multiplane (aeronautics)|multiplane]]. [53] => * Wing support — Braced or cantilever, rigid or flexible. [54] => * Wing planform — including [[aspect ratio]], angle of [[Swept wing|sweep]], and any variations along the span (including the important class of [[delta wing]]s). [55] => * Location of the horizontal stabilizer, if any. [56] => * [[Dihedral (aeronautics)|Dihedral angle]] — positive, zero, or negative (anhedral). [57] => [58] => A [[Wing configuration#Variable geometry|variable geometry]] aircraft can change its wing configuration during flight. [59] => [60] => A [[flying wing]] has no fuselage, though it may have small blisters or pods. The opposite of this is a [[lifting body]], which has no wings, though it may have small stabilizing and control surfaces. [61] => [62] => [[Ground-effect vehicle|Wing-in-ground-effect]] vehicles are generally not considered aircraft.Michael Halloran and Sean O'Meara, ''Wing in Ground Effect Craft Review'', DSTO, Australia {{cite web|url=http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/publications/2058/DSTO-GD-0201.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=24 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522002835/http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/publications/2058/DSTO-GD-0201.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2013 }}, p51. Notes an agreement between ICAO and IMO that WIGs come under the jurisdiction of the International Maritime Organisation although there an exception for craft with a sustained use out of ground effect (OGE) to be considered as aircraft. They "fly" efficiently close to the surface of the ground or water, like conventional aircraft during takeoff. An example is the Russian ekranoplan nicknamed the "[[Caspian Sea Monster]]". [[History of human-powered aircraft|Man-powered aircraft]] also rely on [[Ground effect (aerodynamics)|ground effect]] to remain airborne with minimal pilot power, but this is only because they are so underpowered—in fact, the airframe is capable of flying higher. [63] => [64] => ==== Rotorcraft ==== [65] => {{Main|Rotorcraft}} [66] => [[File:Mil Mi-8P, Baltic Airlines (cropped).jpg|thumb|The [[Mil Mi-8]] is the most produced rotorcraft.]] [67] => Rotorcraft, or rotary-wing aircraft, use a spinning [[Helicopter rotor|rotor]] with aerofoil cross-section blades (a ''rotary wing'') to provide lift. Types include [[helicopter]]s, [[autogyro]]s, and various hybrids such as [[gyrodyne]]s and compound rotorcraft. [68] => [69] => ''[[Helicopter]]s'' have a rotor turned by an engine-driven shaft. The rotor pushes air downward to create lift. By tilting the rotor forward, the downward flow is tilted backward, producing thrust for forward flight. Some helicopters have more than one rotor and a few have rotors turned by gas jets at the tips. Some have a [[tail rotor]] to counteract the rotation of the main rotor, and to aid directional control. [70] => [71] => ''[[Autogyro]]s'' have unpowered rotors, with a separate power plant to provide thrust. The rotor is tilted backward. As the autogyro moves forward, air blows upward across the rotor, making it spin. This spinning increases the speed of airflow over the rotor, to provide lift. [[Rotor kite]]s are unpowered autogyros, which are towed to give them forward speed or tethered to a static anchor in high-wind for kited flight. [72] => [73] => ''Compound rotorcraft'' have wings that provide some or all of the lift in forward flight. They are nowadays classified as ''[[powered lift]]'' types and not as rotorcraft. ''[[Tiltrotor]]'' aircraft (such as the [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey]]), [[tiltwing]], [[tail-sitter]], and [[coleopter]] aircraft have their rotors/[[Propeller (aeronautics)|propellers]] horizontal for vertical flight and vertical for forward flight. [74] => [75] => ==== Other methods of lift ==== [76] => [[File:Lunar Landing Research Vehicle No. 2 in 1967 (ECN-1606).jpg|thumb|The [[Lunar Landing Research Vehicle]] relies on [[powered lift]].]] [77] => [78] => * A ''[[lifting body]]'' is an aircraft body shaped to produce lift. If there are any wings, they are too small to provide significant lift and are used only for stability and control. Lifting bodies are not efficient: they suffer from high drag, and must also travel at high speed to generate enough lift to fly. Many of the research prototypes, such as the [[Martin Marietta X-24]], which led up to the [[Space Shuttle]], were lifting bodies, though the Space Shuttle is not, and some [[Supersonic speed|supersonic]] [[missile]]s obtain lift from the airflow over a tubular body. [79] => * ''[[Powered lift]]'' types rely on engine-derived lift for vertical takeoff and landing ([[VTOL]]). Most types transition to fixed-wing lift for horizontal flight. Classes of powered lift types include [[VTOL]] jet aircraft (such as the [[Harrier jump jet]]) and [[tiltrotor]]s, such as the [[Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey]], among others. A few experimental designs rely entirely on engine thrust to provide lift throughout the whole flight, including personal fan-lift hover platforms and jetpacks. [[VTOL]] research designs include the [[Rolls-Royce Thrust Measuring Rig]]. [80] => * Some [[rotor wing]]s employ horizontal-axis wings, in which airflow across a spinning rotor generates lift. The ''[[Flettner airplane]]'' uses a rotating cylinder, obtaining lift from the [[Magnus effect]]. The [[FanWing]] uses a [[cross-flow fan]], while the mechanically more complex ''[[cyclogyro]]'' comprises multiple wings which rotate together around a central axis. [81] => * The ''[[ornithopter]]'' obtains thrust by flapping its wings. [82] => [83] => == Size and speed extremes == [84] => === Size === [85] => {{Main|List of large aircraft}} [86] => The smallest aircraft are toys/recreational items, and [[AeroVironment Nano Hummingbird|nano aircraft]]. [87] => [88] => The largest aircraft by dimensions and volume (as of 2016) is the {{cvt|302|ft|m}} long British [[Airlander 10]], a hybrid blimp, with helicopter and fixed-wing features, and reportedly capable of speeds up to {{cvt|90|mph|km/h kn}}, and an airborne endurance of two weeks with a payload of up to {{cvt|22050|lbs|kg}}.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/17/worlds-largest-aircraft-the-airlander-takes-first-flight/ "World's largest aircraft the Airlander makes maiden flight in UK,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122224818/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/17/worlds-largest-aircraft-the-airlander-takes-first-flight/ |date=22 November 2016}} 16 August 2016, London 'Daily Telegraph' via Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 22 November 2016."Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, takes off for the first time," 19 August 2016, CBS News (TV) retrieved 22 November 2016.Kottasova, Ivana [https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/24/technology/worlds-largest-aircraft-crash-airlander-10/ "The world's largest aircraft crashes after 2nd test flight"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122224325/https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/24/technology/worlds-largest-aircraft-crash-airlander-10/ |date=22 November 2016}}, 24 August 2016, ''CNN Tech'' on [[CNN]], the Cable News Network. Retrieved 22 November 2016. [89] => [90] => The largest aircraft by weight and largest regular fixed-wing aircraft ever built, {{as of|2016|lc=y}}, was the [[Antonov An-225 Mriya|Antonov An-225 ''Mriya'']]. That Soviet-built ([[Ukrainian SSR]]) six-engine transport of the 1980s was {{cvt|84|m|ft}} long, with an {{cvt|88|m|ft}} wingspan. It holds the world payload record, after transporting {{cvt|428834|lbs|kg}} of goods, and has flown {{cvt|100|t|lbs}} loads commercially. With a maximum loaded weight of {{cvt|550-700|t|lbs}}, it was also the heaviest aircraft built to date. It could cruise at {{cvt|500|mph|km/h kn}}.{{Cite web|last1=July|first1=Dyre|title=Fly Drive Aanbiedingen |url=https://www.flydrivereizen.nl/aanbiedingen/|website=flydrivereizen.nl|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104014121/https://www.flydrivereizen.nl/aanbiedingen/|archive-date=4 November 2016}}[http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/05/16/watch-worlds-biggest-plane-land-in-australia.html "Watch the world's biggest plane land in Australia,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122072300/http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/05/16/watch-worlds-biggest-plane-land-in-australia.html |date=22 November 2016}} 16 May 2016, Fox News. Retrieved 22 November 2016.{{cite news|last=Rumbaugh|first=Andrea|url=http://www.chron.com/business/article/World-s-largest-airplane-lands-at-Bush-airport-10622046.php#item-38488|title=World's biggest airplane lands at Bush airport|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123052928/http://www.chron.com/business/article/World-s-largest-airplane-lands-at-Bush-airport-10622046.php|archive-date=23 November 2016|date=18 November 2016|work=Houston Chronicle}}Lewis, Danny, [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worlds-largest-aircraft-might-lose-its-title-blimp-180956677/ "The World's Largest Aircraft Might Lose its Title to a Blimp,"], 18 September 2015, ''Smart News'', Smithsonian.com, [[Smithsonian Institution]], Washington, D.C.. Retrieved 22 November 2016.[http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/design/q0188.shtml "Ask Us – Largest Plane in the World,"] Aerospaceweb.org. Retrieved 22 November 2016. The aircraft was destroyed during the [[Russo-Ukrainian War]].{{Cite web |last=Shead |first=Sam |title=Photos show world's largest cargo plane destroyed in Ukraine |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/04/antonov-an-225-wreckage-worlds-largest-plane-destroyed-in-ukraine.html |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=CNBC |date=4 April 2022 |language=en}} [91] => [92] => The largest military airplanes are the Ukrainian [[Antonov An-124 Ruslan|Antonov An-124 ''Ruslan'']] (world's second-largest airplane, also used as a civilian transport),[https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_028_Antonov.html "World's Second Largest Aircraft,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122222701/https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_028_Antonov.html |date=22 November 2016}} 28 July 2013, [[NASA]]. Retrieved 22 November 2016. and American [[Lockheed C-5 Galaxy]] transport, weighing, loaded, over {{cvt|380|t|lbs}}.Loftin, Laurence K., Jr., [https://history.nasa.gov/SP-468/ch13-5.htm "Wide-Body Transports"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607034616/http://history.nasa.gov/SP-468/ch13-5.htm |date=7 June 2013}}, in Chapter 13, "Jet Transports," in Part II, "The Jet Age," in ''Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft'', NASA SP-468, 1985, Scientific and Technical Information Branch, [[NASA]], Washington, D.C., Updated: 6 August 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2016. The 8-engine, piston/propeller [[Hughes H-4 Hercules|Hughes H-4 ''Hercules'']] "Spruce Goose" — an American [[World War II]] wooden flying boat transport with a greater wingspan (94m/260ft) than any current aircraft and a tail height equal to the tallest (Airbus A380-800 at 24.1m/78ft) — flew only one short hop in the late 1940s and never flew out of [[Ground effect (aerodynamics)|ground effect]]. [93] => [94] => The largest civilian airplanes, apart from the above-noted An-225 and An-124, are the [[Airbus Beluga]] cargo transport derivative of the [[Airbus A300]] jet airliner, the [[Boeing Dreamlifter]] cargo transport derivative of the [[Boeing 747]] jet airliner/transport (the 747-200B was, at its creation in the 1960s, the heaviest aircraft ever built, with a maximum weight of over {{cvt|400|t|lbs}}), and the double-decker [[Airbus A380]] "super-jumbo" jet airliner (the world's largest passenger airliner).[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/business/worldbusiness/29iht-airbus.4.12438349.html "Airbus reviews A380 schedule,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002211/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/business/worldbusiness/29iht-airbus.4.12438349.html |date=2 February 2017}} 29 April 2008, ''[[The New York Times]]''. Retrieved 22 November 2016. [95] => === Speeds === [96] => {{Main|Flight airspeed record}} [97] => The fastest fixed-wing aircraft and fastest glider, is the [[Space Shuttle]], which re-entered the atmosphere at nearly Mach 25 or {{cvt|17,500|mph|km/h}}{{cite web |editor= Benson, Tom |url= https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/hihyper.html |title= Speed Regimes: Hypersonic Re-Entry |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161123052843/https://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/hihyper.html |archive-date=23 November 2016 |url-status= live |publisher= Glenn Research Center, [[NASA]]}} [98] => [99] => The fastest recorded powered aircraft flight and fastest recorded aircraft flight of an air-breathing powered aircraft was of the [[NASA X-43]]A ''Pegasus'', a [[scramjet]]-powered, [[Hypersonic speed|hypersonic]], [[lifting body]] experimental research aircraft, at [[Mach number|Mach]] 9.68 or {{cvt|6,755|mph|sigfig=4}} on 16 November 2004.{{cite web |url= https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-aircraft-air-breathing-engine |title= Fastest aircraft, air-breathing engine: X-43 |date= 16 Nov 2004 |work= Guinness World Records}} [100] => [101] => Prior to the X-43A, the fastest recorded powered airplane flight, and still the record for the fastest manned powered airplane, was the [[North American X-15]], rocket-powered airplane at Mach 6.7 or 7,274 km/h (4,520 mph) on 3 October 1967.{{cite web |url= https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/78491-fastest-aircraft-rocket-powered |title= Fastest speed in a non-spacecraft aircraft |work= Guinness World Records|date= 3 October 1967 }} [102] => [103] => The fastest manned, air-breathing powered airplane is the [[Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird]], a U.S. [[reconnaissance]] jet fixed-wing aircraft, having reached {{cvt|3529.56|km/h|adj=ri0|sigfig=4}} on 28 July 1976.{{cite web |url= https://www.fai.org/record/8879 |date= 28 Jul 1976 |title= current record, Powered Aeroplanes, Absolute, Speed |publisher= [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|FAI]]}} [104] => [105] => == Propulsion == [106] => === Unpowered aircraft === [107] => {{Main|Unpowered aircraft}} [108] => [[File:PH-1274 Rolladen-Schneider LS-4b.JPG|thumb|Sailplane ([[Rolladen-Schneider LS4]])]] [109] => [[Glider (aircraft)|Gliders]] are heavier-than-air aircraft that do not employ propulsion once airborne. Take-off may be by launching forward and downward from a high location, or by pulling into the air on a tow-line, either by a ground-based winch or vehicle, or by a powered "tug" aircraft. For a glider to maintain its forward air speed and lift, it must descend in relation to the air (but not necessarily in relation to the ground). Many gliders can "soar", ''i.e.'', gain height from updrafts such as thermal currents. The first practical, controllable example was designed and built by the British scientist and pioneer [[George Cayley]], whom many recognise as the first aeronautical engineer. Common examples of gliders are [[Glider (sailplane)|sailplanes]], [[Hang gliding|hang gliders]] and [[Paragliding|paragliders]]. [110] => [111] => [[Balloon (aeronautics)|Balloons]] drift with the wind, though normally the pilot can control the altitude, either by heating the air or by releasing ballast, giving some directional control (since the wind direction changes with altitude). A wing-shaped hybrid balloon can glide directionally when rising or falling; but a spherically shaped balloon does not have such directional control. [112] => [113] => [[Kite]]s are aircraft{{Cite web|url=http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/guided.htm|title=Guided Tours of the BGA|work=nasa.gov|access-date=1 April 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325054529/http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/guided.htm|archive-date=25 March 2015}} that are tethered to the ground or other object (fixed or mobile) that maintains tension in the tether or [[kite line]]; they rely on virtual or real wind blowing over and under them to generate lift and drag. [[Kytoon]]s are balloon-kite hybrids that are shaped and tethered to obtain kiting deflections, and can be lighter-than-air, neutrally buoyant, or heavier-than-air. [114] => [115] => === Powered aircraft === [116] => {{Main|Powered aircraft}} [117] => Powered aircraft have one or more onboard sources of mechanical power, typically [[aircraft engine]]s although rubber and manpower have also been used. Most aircraft engines are either lightweight [[reciprocating engine]]s or [[gas turbine]]s. Engine fuel is stored in tanks, usually in the wings but larger aircraft also have additional [[fuel tank]]s in the [[fuselage]]. [118] => [119] => ==== Propeller aircraft ==== [120] => {{Main|Powered aircraft#Propeller aircraft}} [121] => [[File:WestCoastAirFloatplane.jpg|thumb|A [[turboprop]]-engined [[De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|DeHavilland Twin Otter]] adapted as a [[Seaplane|floatplane]]]] [122] => [123] => [[Powered aircraft#Propeller aircraft|Propeller aircraft]] use one or more [[Propeller (aeronautics)|propellers]] (airscrews) to create thrust in a forward direction. The propeller is usually mounted in front of the power source in ''[[tractor configuration]]'' but can be mounted behind in ''[[pusher configuration]]''. Variations of propeller layout include ''[[contra-rotating propellers]]'' and ''[[ducted fan]]s''. [124] => [125] => Many kinds of power plant have been used to drive propellers. Early airships used man power or [[Steam aircraft|steam engines]]. The more practical [[Internal combustion engine|internal combustion piston engine]] was used for virtually all fixed-wing aircraft until [[World War II]] and is still used in many smaller aircraft. Some types use turbine engines to drive a propeller in the form of a [[turboprop]] or [[propfan]]. [[History of human-powered aircraft|Human-powered flight]] has been achieved, but has not become a practical means of transport. Unmanned aircraft and models have also used power sources such as [[Electric aircraft|electric motors]] and rubber bands. [126] => [127] => ==== Jet aircraft ==== [128] => {{Main|Jet aircraft}} [129] => [[File:Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor JSOH.jpg|thumb| [[Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor|Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor]]]] [130] => [131] => [[Jet aircraft]] use [[airbreathing jet engine]]s, which take in air, burn fuel with it in a [[combustion chamber]], and accelerate the exhaust rearwards to provide thrust. [132] => [133] => Different jet engine configurations include the [[turbojet]] and [[turbofan]], sometimes with the addition of an [[afterburner]]. Those with no rotating turbomachinery include the [[pulsejet]] and [[ramjet]]. These mechanically simple engines produce no thrust when stationary, so the aircraft must be launched to flying speed using a catapult, like the [[V-1 flying bomb]], or a rocket, for example. Other engine types include the [[motorjet]] and the dual-cycle [[Pratt & Whitney J58]]. [134] => [135] => Compared to engines using propellers, jet engines can provide much higher thrust, higher speeds and, above about {{Convert|40000|ft|m|abbr=on}}, greater efficiency.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/ch10-3.htm|title=ch10-3|publisher=Hq.nasa.gov|access-date=26 March 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914184628/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/ch10-3.htm|archive-date=14 September 2010}} They are also much more fuel-efficient than [[rocket]]s. As a consequence nearly all large, high-speed or high-altitude aircraft use jet engines. [136] => [137] => ==== Rotorcraft ==== [138] => {{Main|Rotorcraft}} [139] => Some rotorcraft, such as [[helicopter]]s, have a powered rotary wing or ''[[Helicopter rotor|rotor]]'', where the rotor disc can be angled slightly forward so that a proportion of its lift is directed forwards. The rotor may, like a propeller, be powered by a variety of methods such as a piston engine or turbine. Experiments have also used [[Tip jet|jet nozzles at the rotor blade tips]]. [140] => [141] => ==== Other types of powered aircraft ==== [142] => * ''[[Rocket-powered aircraft]]'' have occasionally been experimented with, and the [[Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet|Messerschmitt Me 163 ''Komet'']] fighter even saw action in the Second World War. Since then, they have been restricted to research aircraft, such as the [[North American X-15]], which traveled up into space where air-breathing engines cannot work (rockets carry their own oxidant). Rockets have more often been used as a supplement to the main power plant, typically for the [[JATO|rocket-assisted take off]] of heavily loaded aircraft, but also to provide high-speed dash capability in some hybrid designs such as the [[Saunders-Roe SR.53]]. [143] => * The ''[[ornithopter]]'' obtains thrust by flapping its wings. It has found practical use in a [[Ornithopter#Applications for unmanned ornithopters|model hawk]] used to freeze prey animals into stillness so that they can be captured, and in toy birds. [144] => [145] => == Design and construction == [146] => Aircraft are [[aircraft design process|designed]] according to many factors such as customer and manufacturer demand, [[Aviation safety|safety]] protocols and physical and economic constraints. For many types of aircraft the design process is regulated by national airworthiness authorities. [147] => [148] => The key parts of an aircraft are generally divided into three categories: [149] => * The ''structure'' ("[[airframe]]"Gove, P.B., editor: ''Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged,'' 1993, Merriam-Webster, Springfield, Mass., USACrane, D., editor: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms,'' Third Edition, ASA (Aviation Supplies & Academics), Newcastle, Washington, USA''2012 Federal Aviation Regulations for Aviation Maintenance Technicians,'' 2012, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation[[Bill Gunston|Gunston, Bill]], editor: ''Jane's Aerospace Dictionary'' 1980, Jane's, London / New York / Sydney) comprises the main load-bearing elements and associated equipment, as well as flight controls. [150] => * The ''propulsion system'' ("[[powerplant]]"[https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/phak/media/21_phak_glossary.pdf "Glossary"] in ''Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge'' (PHAK), [[Federal Aviation Administration]], Washington, D.C., retrieved September 12, 2022) (if it is powered) comprises the power source and associated equipment, as described above. [151] => * The ''[[avionics]]'' comprise the electrical and electronic control, navigation and communication systems.Wragg, David W. editor: ''A Dictionary of Aviation,'' 1974, Frederick Fell, New York [152] => [153] => === Structure === [154] => The approach to structural design varies widely between different types of aircraft. Some, such as paragliders, comprise only flexible materials that act in tension and rely on aerodynamic pressure to hold their shape. A [[Balloon (aeronautics)|balloon]] similarly relies on internal gas pressure, but may have a rigid basket or gondola slung below it to carry its payload. Early aircraft, including [[airship]]s, often employed flexible [[Aircraft dope|doped]] [[aircraft fabric covering]] to give a reasonably smooth aeroshell stretched over a rigid frame. Later aircraft employed semi-[[monocoque]] techniques, where the skin of the aircraft is stiff enough to share much of the flight loads. In a true monocoque design there is no internal structure left. [155] => [156] => The key structural parts of an aircraft depend on what type it is. [157] => [158] => ==== Aerostats ==== [159] => {{Main|Aerostat}} [160] => Lighter-than-air types are characterised by one or more gasbags, typically with a supporting structure of flexible cables or a rigid framework called its hull. Other elements such as engines or a gondola may also be attached to the supporting structure. [161] => [162] => ==== Aerodynes ==== [163] => [[File:Merlin Airframe Material.jpg|thumb|Airframe diagram for an [[AgustaWestland AW101]] [[helicopter]]]] [164] => Heavier-than-air types are characterised by one or more wings and a central [[fuselage]]. The fuselage typically also carries a tail or [[empennage]] for stability and control, and an undercarriage for takeoff and landing. Engines may be located on the fuselage or wings. On a [[fixed-wing aircraft]] the wings are rigidly attached to the fuselage, while on a [[rotorcraft]] the wings are attached to a rotating vertical shaft. Smaller designs sometimes use flexible materials for part or all of the structure, held in place either by a rigid frame or by air pressure. The fixed parts of the structure comprise the [[airframe]]. [165] => [166] => === Power === [167] => {{Main|Propulsion}} [168] => The source of motive power for an aircraft is normally called the ''[[powerplant]],'' and includes [[engine]] or [[motor]], [[propeller]] or [[Helicopter rotor|rotor]], (if any), [[jet nozzle]]s and [[thrust reverser]]s (if any), and accessories essential to the functioning of the engine or motor (e.g.: [[Starter motor|starter]], [[ignition system]], [[intake|intake system]], [[exhaust system]], [[Aircraft fuel system|fuel system]], [[lubrication]] system, [[engine cooling system]], and [[engine controls]]). [169] => [170] => Powered aircraft are typically powered by [[internal combustion engine]]s ([[piston engine|piston]][https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/icengine.html "Internal Combustion Engine,"] Glenn Research Center, [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA), retrieved September 12, 2022 or [[gas turbine engine|turbine]][https://www.grc.nasa.gov/www/k-12/airplane/icengine.html "Engines,"] Glenn Research Center, [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA), retrieved September 12, 2022) burning [[fossil fuels]] -- typically [[gasoline]] ([[avgas]]) or [[jet fuel]]. A very few are powered by [[rocket engine|rocket power]], [[ramjet]] propulsion, or by [[electric motors]], or by internal combustion engines of other types, or using other fuels. A very few have been powered, for short flights, by [[human-powered aircraft|human muscle energy]] (e.g.: [[Gossamer Condor]]).Bryan, C.D.B.: ''The National Air and Space Museum,'' 1979 / 1984, Abrams, New YorkTaylor, Michael J.H., editor: ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation,'' 1989 ed., Portland House / Random House, New York[https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/aeronautics/eap/ "Electrified Aircraft Propulsion" (EAP)], Glenn Research Center, [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] (NASA), retrieved September 12, 2022 [171] => [172] => === Avionics === [173] => {{Main|Avionics}} [174] => The avionics comprise any ''electronic'' [[aircraft flight control system]]s and related equipment, including electronic [[cockpit]] instrumentation, navigation, [[radar]], monitoring, and [[communications system]]s.Wragg, David W. editor: ''A Dictionary of Aviation,'' 1974, Frederick Fell, New York [175] => [176] => == Flight characteristics == [177] => === Flight envelope === [178] => {{Main|Flight envelope}} [179] => The flight envelope of an aircraft refers to its approved design capabilities in terms of [[airspeed]], [[Load factor (aeronautics)|load factor]] and altitude.{{Cite web|url=http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple;c=ecfr;cc=ecfr;sid=a8f38006e777ba46ba8000f7c2fe6641;region=DIV1;q1=23.335;rgn=div8;view=text;idno=14;node=14%3A1.0.1.3.10.3.70.8|title=eCFR — Code of Federal Regulations|work=gpoaccess.gov|access-date=1 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402202400/http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?type=simple%3Bc%3Decfr%3Bcc%3Decfr%3Bsid%3Da8f38006e777ba46ba8000f7c2fe6641%3Bregion%3DDIV1%3Bq1%3D23.335%3Brgn%3Ddiv8%3Bview%3Dtext%3Bidno%3D14%3Bnode%3D14%3A1.0.1.3.10.3.70.8|archive-date=2 April 2012}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.access.gpo.gov/ecfr/graphics/pdfs/ec28se91.001.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601204507/http://www.access.gpo.gov/ecfr/graphics/pdfs/ec28se91.001.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 June 2010|date=1 June 2010}} The term can also refer to other assessments of aircraft performance such as maneuverability. When an aircraft is abused, for instance by diving it at too-high a speed, it is said to be flown ''outside the envelope'', something considered foolhardy since it has been taken beyond the design limits which have been established by the manufacturer. Going beyond the envelope may have a known outcome such as [[Aeroelasticity#Flutter|flutter]] or entry to a non-recoverable spin (possible reasons for the boundary). [180] => [181] => === Range === [182] => [[File:Boeing 777-200LR banking over mountain.jpg|thumb|The [[Boeing 777#777-200LR|Boeing 777-200LR]] is one of the longest-range airliners, capable of flights of more than halfway around the world.]] [183] => {{Main|Range (aeronautics)}} [184] => The range is the distance an aircraft can fly between [[takeoff]] and [[landing]], as limited by the time it can remain airborne. [185] => [186] => For a powered aircraft the time limit is determined by the fuel load and rate of consumption. [187] => [188] => For an unpowered aircraft, the maximum flight time is limited by factors such as weather conditions and pilot endurance. Many aircraft types are restricted to daylight hours, while balloons are limited by their supply of lifting gas. The range can be seen as the average ground speed multiplied by the maximum time in the air. [189] => [190] => The [[Airbus A350#A350-900ULR|Airbus A350-900ULR]] is now the longest range airliner.{{Fact|date=November 2021}} [191] => [192] => === Flight dynamics === [193] => {{Main|Flight dynamics (fixed-wing aircraft)}} [194] => [[File:Flight dynamics with text.png|right|200px]] [195] => Flight dynamics is the science of air vehicle orientation and control in three dimensions. The three critical flight dynamics parameters are the [[Angle of rotation|angles of rotation]] around [[Aircraft principal axes|three axes]] which pass through the vehicle's [[Center of mass#Center of gravity|center of gravity]], known as ''[[Aircraft principal axes#Pitch|pitch]]'', ''[[Aircraft principal axes#Roll|roll]],'' and ''[[Aircraft principal axes#Yaw|yaw]]''. [196] => * Roll is a rotation about the longitudinal axis (equivalent to the rolling or [[Sailing#Heeling|heeling]] of a ship) giving an up-down movement of the wing tips measured by the roll or bank angle. [197] => * Pitch is a rotation about the sideways horizontal axis giving an up-down movement of the aircraft nose measured by the [[angle of attack]]. [198] => * Yaw is a rotation about the vertical axis giving a side-to-side movement of the nose known as sideslip. [199] => [200] => Flight dynamics is concerned with the stability and control of an aircraft's rotation about each of these axes. [201] => [202] => ==== Stability ==== [203] => [[File:Aircraft tail.JPG|thumb|The [[empennage]] of a [[Boeing 747|Boeing 747-200]]]] [204] => An aircraft that is unstable tends to diverge from its intended flight path and so is difficult to fly. A very stable aircraft tends to stay on its flight path and is difficult to maneuver. Therefore, it is important for any design to achieve the desired degree of stability. Since the widespread use of digital computers, it is increasingly common for designs to be inherently unstable and rely on computerised control systems to provide artificial stability. [205] => [206] => A fixed wing is typically unstable in pitch, roll, and yaw. Pitch and yaw stabilities of conventional fixed wing designs require [[Stabilizer (aeronautics)|horizontal and vertical stabilisers]],Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 194. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. {{ISBN|1-56027-287-2}}Aviation Publishers Co. Limited, ''From the Ground Up'', p. 10 (27th revised edition) {{ISBN|0-9690054-9-0}} which act similarly to the feathers on an arrow.{{Cite web |url=http://www.airlines.org/ATAResources/Handbook/Pages/AirlineHandbookChapter5HowAircraftFly.aspx |title=Airline Handbook Chapter 5: How Aircraft Fly |work=Airline Handbook |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620150339/http://airlines.org/ATAResources/Handbook/Pages/AirlineHandbookChapter5HowAircraftFly.aspx |archive-date=20 June 2010 |publisher=[[Airlines for America|Air Transport Association]]}} These stabilizing surfaces allow equilibrium of aerodynamic forces and to stabilise the [[flight dynamics]] of pitch and yaw. They are usually mounted on the tail section ([[empennage]]), although in the [[Canard (aeronautics)|canard]] layout, the main aft wing replaces the canard foreplane as pitch stabilizer. [[Tandem wing]] and [[tailless aircraft]] rely on the same general rule to achieve stability, the aft surface being the stabilising one. [207] => [208] => A rotary wing is typically unstable in yaw, requiring a vertical stabiliser. [209] => [210] => A balloon is typically very stable in pitch and roll due to the way the payload is slung underneath the center of lift. [211] => [212] => ==== Control ==== [213] => [[Flight control surfaces]] enable the pilot to control an aircraft's [[Flight dynamics (fixed-wing aircraft)|flight attitude]] and are usually part of the wing or mounted on, or integral with, the associated stabilizing surface. Their development was a critical advance in the history of aircraft, which had until that point been uncontrollable in flight. [214] => [215] => [[Aerospace engineering|Aerospace engineers]] develop [[control system]]s for a vehicle's orientation (attitude) about its [[center of mass]]. The control systems include actuators, which exert forces in various directions, and generate rotational forces or [[Moment (physics)|moments]] about the [[aerodynamic center]] of the aircraft, and thus rotate the aircraft in pitch, roll, or yaw. For example, a [[pitching moment]] is a vertical force applied at a distance forward or aft from the aerodynamic center of the aircraft, causing the aircraft to pitch up or down. Control systems are also sometimes used to increase or decrease drag, for example to slow the aircraft to a safe speed for landing. [216] => [217] => The two main aerodynamic forces acting on any aircraft are lift supporting it in the air and [[Drag (physics)|drag]] opposing its motion. Control surfaces or other techniques may also be used to affect these forces directly, without inducing any rotation. [218] => [219] => == Environmental impact == [220] => {{Main|Environmental impact of aviation}} [221] => Aircraft permit long distance, high speed [[Air travel|travel]] and may be a more [[Energy efficiency in transport#Aircraft|fuel efficient]] mode of transportation in some circumstances. Aircraft have [[Environmental impact of aviation|environmental and climate impacts]] beyond [[fuel efficiency]] considerations, however. They are also relatively [[Aircraft noise pollution|noisy]] compared to other forms of travel and high altitude aircraft generate [[contrail]]s, which experimental evidence suggests may [[global dimming|alter weather patterns]]. [222] => [223] => == Uses for aircraft == [224] => Aircraft are produced in several different types optimized for various uses; [[military aircraft]], which includes not just combat types but many types of supporting aircraft, and [[civil aviation|civil aircraft]], which include all non-military types, experimental and model. [225] => [226] => === Military === [227] => [[File:Color Photographed B-17E in Flight.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress|Boeing B-17E]] in flight]] [228] => {{Main|Military aircraft}} [229] => A military aircraft is any aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat: [230] => [231] => * Combat aircraft are aircraft designed to destroy enemy equipment using its own armament. Combat aircraft divide broadly into [[Fighter aircraft|fighters]] and [[bomber]]s, with several in-between types, such as [[fighter-bomber]]s and [[attack aircraft]], including [[attack helicopter]]s. [232] => * Non-combat aircraft are not designed for combat as their primary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. Non-combat roles include search and rescue, reconnaissance, observation, transport, training, and [[aerial refueling]]. These aircraft are often variants of civil aircraft. [233] => [234] => Most military aircraft are powered heavier-than-air types. Other types, such as gliders and balloons, have also been used as military aircraft; for example, balloons were used for observation during the [[American Civil War]] and [[World War I]], and [[military glider]]s were used during [[World War II]] to land troops. [235] => [236] => === Civil === [237] => [[File:Pilatus Agusta A109 Flug.jpg|thumb|[[AgustaWestland AW109|Agusta A109]] helicopter of the [[Rega (air rescue)|Swiss air rescue service]]]] [238] => {{Main|Civil aviation}} [239] => Civil aircraft divide into ''commercial'' and ''general'' types, however there are some overlaps. [240] => [241] => [[Commercial aviation|Commercial aircraft]] include types designed for scheduled and charter airline flights, carrying passengers, [[Airmail|mail]] and other [[cargo]]. The larger passenger-carrying types are the airliners, the largest of which are [[wide-body aircraft]]. Some of the smaller types are also used in [[general aviation]], and some of the larger types are used as [[Air transports of heads of state and government|VIP aircraft]]. [242] => [243] => [[General aviation]] is a catch-all covering other kinds of [[Private aviation|private]] (where the pilot is not paid for time or expenses) and commercial use, and involving a wide range of aircraft types such as [[Business jet|business jets (bizjets)]], [[Trainer aircraft|trainers]], [[Homebuilt aircraft|homebuilt]], [[glider (aircraft)|gliders]], [[warbird]]s and [[hot air balloon]]s to name a few. The vast majority of aircraft today are general aviation types. [244] => [245] => === Experimental === [246] => {{Main|Experimental aircraft}} [247] => An experimental aircraft is one that has not been fully proven in flight, or that carries a [[Airworthiness certificate#Special Airworthiness Certificate|Special Airworthiness Certificate]], called an Experimental Certificate in United States parlance. This often implies that the aircraft is testing new aerospace technologies, though the term also refers to amateur-built and kit-built aircraft, many of which are based on proven designs. [248] => [[File:MiniCeline ultralight aircraft.jpeg|thumb|A model aircraft, weighing six grams]] [249] => [250] => === Model === [251] => {{Main|Model aircraft}} [252] => A model aircraft is a small unmanned type made to fly for fun, for static display, for aerodynamic research or for other purposes. A [[scale model]] is a replica of some larger design. [253] => [254] => == See also == [255] => [256] => === Lists === [257] => * [[Early flying machines]] [258] => * [[Flight altitude record]] [259] => * [[List of aircraft]] [260] => * [[List of civil aircraft]] [261] => * [[List of fighter aircraft]] [262] => * [[List of individual aircraft]] [263] => * [[List of large aircraft]] [264] => * [[wikt:Appendix:Glossary of aviation, aerospace, and aeronautics|List of aviation, aerospace and aeronautical terms]] [265] => [266] => === Topics === [267] => * [[Aircraft hijacking]] [268] => * [[Aircraft spotting]] [269] => * [[Air traffic control]] [270] => * [[Airport]] [271] => * [[Flying car]] [272] => * [[Personal air vehicle]] [273] => * [[Powered parachute]] [274] => * [[Spacecraft]] [275] => * [[Spaceplane]] [276] => [277] => == References == [278] => {{Reflist|refs= [279] => Gunston 1986, p. 274 https://www.manseper.com [280] => }} [281] => * {{Cite book |last= Gunston |first= Bill |title=Jane's Aerospace Dictionary 1987 |year=1987 |publisher=Jane's Publishing Company Limited |location=London, England |isbn=978-0-7106-0365-4}} [282] => [283] => == External links == [284] => {{Wiktionary|aircraft}} [285] => {{Commons category|Aircraft}} [286] => [287] => ===History=== [288] => * [http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-468/contents.htm The Evolution of Modern Aircraft (NASA)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071227182437/http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-468/contents.htm |date=27 December 2007 }} [289] => * [http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/Tale_of_Airplane/taleplane.html Virtual Museum] [290] => * [http://www.nasm.si.edu/ Smithsonian Air and Space Museum] - online collection with a particular focus on history of aircraft and spacecraft [291] => * [http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/36582/amazing-early-flying-machines Amazing Early Flying Machines] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213011847/http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/36582/amazing-early-flying-machines |date=13 December 2009 }} slideshow by ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine [292] => [293] => ===Information=== [294] => * [http://www.airliners.net/ Airliners.net] [295] => * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080624032037/http://www.aviationdictionary.org/ Aviation Dictionary] - free aviation terms, phrases and jargons [296] => * [https://www.newscientist.com/topic/aviation ''New Scientist''{{'}}s aviation page] [297] => [298] => {{Aircraft types (by method of thrust and lift)}} [299] => {{Lists of aircraft}} [300] => {{Aircraft components}} [301] => [302] => {{Authority control}} [303] => [304] => [[Category:Aircraft| ]] [] => )
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Aircraft

An aircraft is a vehicle that is capable of flying through the Earth's atmosphere or beyond it. These vehicles are designed for various purposes, such as transportation of passengers and cargo, military operations, research, and recreational activities.

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These vehicles are designed for various purposes, such as transportation of passengers and cargo, military operations, research, and recreational activities. There are several types of aircraft, including airplanes, helicopters, blimps, balloons, and drones. Airplanes are the most common type and are powered by engines, using either jet propulsion or propellers. They have fixed wings and are designed to achieve lift and stability in the air. Helicopters, on the other hand, have rotating blades that provide vertical lift and allow for hovering and maneuvering in any direction. Blimps and balloons are lighter-than-air aircraft that rely on the principle of buoyancy to float in the air. Blimps have a rigid frame with an elongated shape, while balloons are typically spherical and filled with a gas lighter than the surrounding air, such as helium. These aircraft are often used for advertising or aerial observation. Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are aircraft that are controlled remotely or autonomously without an onboard pilot. They have gained popularity in recent years for various applications, including aerial photography, surveillance, and delivery services. The development of aircraft has greatly influenced human civilization, revolutionizing travel, commerce, and warfare. The Wright brothers' successful flight in 1903 marked the beginning of the modern aviation era. Since then, aircraft have advanced in terms of design, materials, and technology, leading to faster, more efficient, and safer flights. The Wikipedia page on aircraft provides detailed information about the history, types, design, and operation of various aircraft. It also explores topics such as aviation safety, regulations, and the impact of aircraft on the environment. Overall, the page serves as a comprehensive resource for anyone interested in learning about aircraft and their role in the world.

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