A fixed-wing aircraft, usually called an airplane or aeroplane, is a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of flight whose lift is generated not by wing motion relative to the aircraft, but by forward motion through the air. The term is used to distinguish fixed-wing aircraft from rotary-wing aircraft and ornithopters in which lift is generated by blades or wings that move relative to the aircraft. Many fixed-wing aircraft are propelled forward by the thrust from propellers or jet engines, but the category includes unpowered aircraft (usually called gliders).
In the United States, Canada and many other regions, the term "airplane" is applied to these aircraft. In Britain and many other regions, the term "aeroplane" is used. The word derives from the Greek αέρας (aéras-) ("air") and -plane.[1] The form "aeroplane" is the older of the two, dating back to the mid-late 19th century.[2] The spelling "airplane" was first recorded in 1907.[3]
Most fixed-wing aircraft are flown by a pilot on-board the aircraft, but some are designed to be remotely or computer controlled.
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