Aircraft
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates
.jpg){kind=link}
An aircraft (Template:Plural form: aircraft) is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil,[1] or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, rotorcraft, helicopters, airships (including blimps), gliders, paramotors, and hot air balloons.[2] Part 1 [3] (Definitions and Abbreviations) of Subchapter A of Chapter I of Title 14 of the U. S. Code of Federal Regulations states that aircraft "means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air."
The human activity that surrounds aircraft is called aviation. The science of aviation, including designing and building aircraft, is called aeronautics. 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 different criteria, such as lift type, aircraft propulsion (if any), usage and others.
History
Template:See alsoTemplate:Empty section
_DSCN2832.jpg){kind=link}
Methods of lift
Lighter-than-air
_in_flight_over_Manhattan,_circa_1931-1933.jpg){kind=link}
A balloon was originally any aerostat, while the term airship was used for large, powered aircraft designs — usually fixed-wing.[4][5][6][7][8][9] In 1919, Frederick Handley Page was reported as referring to "ships of the air," with smaller passenger types as "Air yachts."[10] In the 1930s, large intercontinental flying boats were also sometimes referred to as "ships of the air" or "flying-ships".[11][12]
Heavier-than-airTemplate:Anchor
Fixed-wing
Wing-in-ground-effect vehicles are generally not considered aircraft.[13]
Rotorcraft
.jpg){kind=link}
Other methods of lift
.jpg){kind=link}
Size and speed extremes
Size
Template:MainThe largest aircraft by dimensions and volume (as of 2016) is the Template:Cvt long British Airlander 10, a hybrid blimp, with helicopter and fixed-wing features, and reportedly capable of speeds up to Template:Cvt, and an airborne endurance of two weeks with a payload of up to Template:Cvt.[14][15][16]
The largest aircraft by weight and largest regular fixed-wing aircraft ever built, Template:As of, was the Antonov An-225 Mriya. That Soviet-built (Ukrainian SSR) six-engine transport of the 1980s was Template:Cvt long, with an Template:Cvt wingspan. It holds the world payload record, after transporting Template:Cvt of goods, and has flown Template:Cvt loads commercially. With a maximum loaded weight of Template:Cvt, it was also the heaviest aircraft built to date. It could cruise at Template:Cvt.[17][18][19][20][21] The aircraft was destroyed during the Russo-Ukrainian War.[22]
The largest military airplanes are the Ukrainian Antonov An-124 Ruslan (world's second-largest airplane, also used as a civilian transport),[23] and American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport, weighing, loaded, over Template:Cvt.[21][24] The 8-engine, piston/propeller Hughes H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose" — an American World War II wooden flying boat transport with a greater wingspan (94m/260 ft) than any current aircraft and a tail height equal to the tallest (Airbus A380-800 at 24.1m/78 ft) — flew only one short hop in the late 1940s and never flew out of ground effect.[21]
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 Template:Cvt),[24] and the double-decker Airbus A380 "super-jumbo" jet airliner (the world's largest passenger airliner).[21][25]
Speeds
Template:Main The fastest fixed-wing aircraft and fastest glider, is the Space Shuttle, which re-entered the atmosphere at nearly Mach 25 or Template:Cvt[26]
The fastest recorded powered aircraft flight and fastest recorded aircraft flight of an air-breathing powered aircraft was of the NASA X-43A Pegasus, a scramjet-powered, hypersonic, lifting body experimental research aircraft, at Mach 9.68 or Template:Cvt on 16 November 2004.[27]
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.[28]
The fastest manned, air-breathing powered airplane is the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, a U.S. reconnaissance jet fixed-wing aircraft, having reached Template:Cvt on 28 July 1976.[29]
Propulsion
Unpowered aircraft
Powered aircraft
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Propeller aircraft
Jet aircraft
Compared to engines using propellers, jet engines can provide much higher thrust, higher speeds and, above about Template:Convert, greater efficiency.[31]
Rotorcraft
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Other types of powered aircraft
Design and construction
The key parts of an aircraft are generally divided into three categories:
- The structure ("airframe"[32][33][34][35]) comprises the main load-bearing elements and associated equipment, as well as flight controls.
- The propulsion system ("powerplant"[32][33][36]) (if it is powered) comprises the power source and associated equipment, as described above.
- The avionics comprise the electrical and electronic control, navigation and communication systems.[32][33][35][37]
Structure
Aerostats
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Aerodynes
Power
Template:Main The source of motive power for an aircraft is normally called the powerplant, and includes engine or motor, propeller or rotor, (if any), jet nozzles and thrust reversers (if any), and accessories essential to the functioning of the engine or motor (e.g.: starter, ignition system, intake system, exhaust system, fuel system, lubrication system, engine cooling system, and engine controls).[32][33][36]
Powered aircraft are typically powered by internal combustion engines (piston[38] or turbine[39]) burning fossil fuels—typically gasoline (avgas) or jet fuel. A very few are powered by 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 muscle energy (e.g.: Gossamer Condor).[40][41][42]
Avionics
Template:Main The avionics comprise any electronic aircraft flight control systems and related equipment, including electronic cockpit instrumentation, navigation, radar, monitoring, and communications systems.[32][33][35][37]
Flight characteristics
Flight envelope
Template:Main The flight envelope of an aircraft refers to its approved design capabilities in terms of airspeed, load factor and altitude.[43][44]
Range
The Airbus A350-900ULR is among the longest range airliners.[45]
Flight dynamics
Stability
A fixed wing is typically unstable in pitch, roll, and yaw. Pitch and yaw stabilities of conventional fixed wing designs require horizontal and vertical stabilisers,[46][47] which act similarly to the feathers on an arrow.[48] These stabilizing surfaces allow equilibrium of aerodynamic forces and to stabilise the flight dynamics of pitch and yaw.[46][47]
Control
Environmental impact
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Uses for aircraft
Military
Template:Main A military aircraft is any aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type.[49] Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:
- Combat aircraft are aircraft designed to destroy enemy equipment using its own armament.[49]
Civil
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Experimental
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
Model
Template:MainTemplate:Empty section
See also
Lists
- Early flying machines
- Flight altitude record
- List of aircraft
- List of civil aircraft
- List of fighter aircraft
- List of individual aircraft
- List of large aircraft
- List of aviation, aerospace and aeronautical terms
Topics
- Aircraft hijacking
- Aircraft spotting
- Air traffic control
- Airport
- Flying car
- Personal air vehicle
- Powered parachute
- Spacecraft
- Spaceplane
References
External links
Template:Wiktionary Template:Commons category
History
- The Evolution of Modern Aircraft (NASA) Template:Webarchive
- Virtual Museum
- Smithsonian Air and Space Museum – online collection with a particular focus on history of aircraft and spacecraft
- Amazing Early Flying Machines Template:Webarchive slideshow by Life magazine
Information
- Airliners.net
- Aviation Dictionary – free aviation terms, phrases and jargons
- New ScientistTemplate:'s aviation page
Template:Aircraft types (by method of thrust and lift) Template:Lists of aircraft Template:Aircraft components
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ US patent 467069 Template:Webarchive "Air-ship" referring to a compound aerostat/rotorcraft.
- ↑ Ezekiel Airship (1902) wright-brothers.org Template:Webarchivealtereddimensions.net Template:Webarchive "airship," – referring to an HTA aeroplane.
- ↑ The Bridgeport Herald, August 18, 1901 Template:Webarchive – "air ship" referring to Whitehead's aeroplane.
- ↑ Cooley Airship of 1910, also called the Cooley monoplane.Template:Cite webTemplate:Cite web – a heavier-than-air monoplane.
- ↑ Frater, A.; The Balloon Factory, Picador (2009), p. 163. Wright brothers' "airship."
- ↑ George Griffith, The angel of the Revolution, 1893 Template:Webarchive — "air-ship," "vessel" referring to a VTOL compound rotorcraft (not clear from the reference if it might be an aerostat hybrid.)
- ↑ Auckland Star, 24 February 1919 Template:Webarchive "Ships of the air," "Air yachts" – passenger landplanes large and small
- ↑ The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday 11 April 1938 – "ship of the airs," "flying-ship," referring to a large flying-boat.
- ↑ Smithsonian, America by air Template:Webarchive "Ships of the Air" referring to Pan Am's Boeing Clipper flying-boat fleet.
- ↑ Michael Halloran and Sean O'Meara, Wing in Ground Effect Craft Review, DSTO, Australia Template:Cite web, 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.
- ↑ "World's largest aircraft the Airlander makes maiden flight in UK," Template:Webarchive 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 "The world's largest aircraft crashes after 2nd test flight" Template:Webarchive, 24 August 2016, CNN Tech on CNN, the Cable News Network. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ "Watch the world's biggest plane land in Australia," 16 May 2016, Fox News. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ Template:Cite news
- ↑ Lewis, Danny, "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.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 "Ask Us – Largest Plane in the World," Aerospaceweb.org. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ "World's Second Largest Aircraft," Template:Webarchive 28 July 2013, NASA. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Loftin, Laurence K., Jr., "Wide-Body Transports" Template:Webarchive, 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.
- ↑ "Airbus reviews A380 schedule," Template:Webarchive 29 April 2008, The New York Times. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 Gove, P.B., editor: Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, 1993, Merriam-Webster, Springfield, Mass., USA
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 33.3 33.4 Crane, 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
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 Gunston, Bill, editor: Jane's Aerospace Dictionary 1980, Jane's, London / New York / Sydney
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Glossary" in Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK), Federal Aviation Administration, Washington, D.C., retrieved 12 September 2022
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 Wragg, David W. editor: A Dictionary of Aviation, 1974, Frederick Fell, New York
- ↑ "Internal Combustion Engine," Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022
- ↑ "Engines," Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022
- ↑ Bryan, C.D.B.: The National Air and Space Museum, 1979 / 1984, Abrams, New York
- ↑ Taylor, Michael J.H., editor: Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, 1989 ed., Portland House / Random House, New York
- ↑ "Electrified Aircraft Propulsion" (EAP), Glenn Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), retrieved 12 September 2022
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 Crane, Dale: Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition, p. 194. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Template:ISBN
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Aviation Publishers Co. Limited, From the Ground Up, p. 10 (27th revised edition) Template:ISBN
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedgunston