
Airplane | Definition, Types, Mechanics, & Facts | Britannica
What is an airplane or aircraft? How do airplanes fly in the sky? What are the main parts of an airplane? How does the engine help an airplane move? What are some different types of …
PLANE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
level, flat, plane, even, smooth mean having a surface without bends, curves, or irregularities. level applies to a horizontal surface that lies on a line parallel with the horizon. flat applies to a …
History of flight | Airplanes, Dates, & Facts | Britannica
In the history of flight, the most important landmarks and events include an understanding of the dynamic reaction of lifting surfaces (or wings), building absolutely reliable engines that …
11 of the World’s Most Famous Warplanes | Britannica
Military aircraft came of age during World War II, and their utility for both military and nonmilitary purposes expanded during the Cold War era and beyond. A list of some of these great planes …
Airplane - Jet, Propeller, Glider | Britannica
Business planes are used by salespeople, prospectors, farmers, doctors, missionaries, and many others. Their primary purpose is to make the best use of top executives’ time by freeing them …
JET AIRPLANE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of JET AIRPLANE is an airplane powered by a jet engine that utilizes the surrounding air in the combustion of fuel or by a rocket-type jet engine that carries its fuel and …
Airplane - Civil Aviation, Design, Flight | Britannica
Oct 13, 2025 · Airplane - Civil Aviation, Design, Flight: All nonmilitary planes are civil aircraft. These include private and business planes and commercial airliners. Private aircraft are …
PLANE Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam …
Dec 6, 2016 · While all these words mean "having a surface without bends, curves, or irregularities," plane applies to any real or imaginary flat surface in which a straight line …
7 Puzzling Plane Disappearances | Britannica
Perhaps the most disputed plane disappearance occurred in early December 1945, when not one but six planes vanished, which have yet to be recovered.
How do airplanes fly? | Britannica
Getting air molecules to push the plane up is the crucial part of flying, and planes do this by making sure the underside of the wings crash into more air molecules more violently than the …
AIRPLANE Synonyms: 39 Similar Words - Merriam-Webster
Dec 6, 2016 · Shaggy, the reggae and dancehall artist, has been personally coordinating food, water, and medicine dispersal to those in need using a network of private planes. The …
Airplane - Propulsion, Engines, Fuel | Britannica
Oct 13, 2025 · Often an internal-combustion piston engine is used, especially for smaller planes. They are of various types, based on the arrangement of the cylinders. Horizontally opposed …
Military aircraft | Types, History, & Development | Britannica
Military aircraft, any type of aircraft that has been adapted for military use. Generally speaking, all military aircraft fall into one of the following categories: fighters, bombers, ground-support …
History of flight - Aviation Pioneers, Aircraft Design, Flight Records ...
Following World War I, a number of adventurous pilots began using airplanes for “utility aviation”—commercial photography, surveying, law enforcement, agricultural purposes such …
Fighter aircraft | Design, Performance & History | Britannica
Oct 16, 2025 · This era saw the introduction of famous fighter planes such as the British Spitfire, American P-51 Mustang, the Japanese Zero (A6M Type Zero), and the German …
Air Force One | Plane, History, List of Aircraft, & Facts | Britannica
4 days ago · This design has been carried over to all subsequent Air Force One planes. In June 1963 the new jet carried Kennedy to a divided Berlin, where he issued his famous declaration …
Airplane - Materials, Construction, Design | Britannica
As speeds advanced, so did structural requirements, and designers analyzed individual aircraft parts for both strength and wind resistance.
Wright brothers | Biography, Inventions, Hometown, Plane,
Nov 28, 2025 · What did the Wright brothers invent? The Wright brothers invented the first airplane that could be controlled by the pilot.
List of the Deadliest Airplane Disasters - Encyclopedia Britannica
Oct 23, 2025 · Both planes were hijacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001, and flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. The attacks caused the deaths of some 2,750 people.
aviation in World War I - Encyclopedia Britannica
At the start of World War I the German armed forces had 10 zeppelins and three smaller airships, but this impressive offensive capability was largely offset by the highly explosive nature of the …