
Airplane - Wikipedia
Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectrum of uses for airplanes includes recreation, transportation of goods and people, military, and research.
Airplane | Definition, Types, Mechanics, & Facts | Britannica
An airplane is any of a class of fixed-wing aircraft that is heavier than air, propelled by a screw propeller or a high-velocity jet, and supported by the dynamic reaction of the air against its …
How planes work | the science of flight - Explain that Stuff
Mar 11, 2025 · Thanks to their successful experiments with powered flight, the airplane is rightfully recognized as one of the greatest inventions of all time. Let's take a closer look at how it works!
How Airplanes Work - HowStuffWorks
In this article, we'll walk through the basic principles of aviation and the various forces at work in any given flight. Airplanes take advantage of four forces. Drop a stone into the ocean and it will …
Beginner's Guide to Aeronautics - NASA
May 11, 2023 · The Wright Way will show you the basic math and physics that led to the invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers. This site was built for middle to high school students.
How do airplanes fly? An aerospace engineer explains the physics …
Mar 18, 2024 · While an airplane is flying, gravity is pulling the airplane down. That force is the weight of the airplane. But its engines push the airplane forward because they create a force …
History of flight | Airplanes, Dates, & Facts | Britannica
Jan 6, 2026 · This article tells the story of the invention of the airplane and the development of civil aviation from piston-engine airplanes to jets. For a history of military aviation, see military …
Aircraft - Wikipedia
Crewed aircraft are flown by an onboard pilot, whereas unmanned aerial vehicles may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard computers. Aircraft may be classified by …
History of the Airplane and Flight: Orville and Wilbur Wright
Apr 29, 2025 · The invention of the airplane by the Wright brothers in 1903 revolutionized society, enabling faster travel and paving the way for modern aviation.
Airplane - New World Encyclopedia
A fixed-wing aircraft, commonly called an airplane or aeroplane, (from the Greek: aéros- "air" and -planos "wandering") and often shortened to plane, is a heavier-than-air craft in which …