Aircraft Types
From the time to Wright Brothers, when man flew for the first time till now aircraft technology has reached to a new horizon. An aircraft can be defined as a vessel or machine capable to move through the air. An airplane is a popular example of this kind of machine, however there are many others that fall under this category, these are helicopters, airships and hot air balloons.
Aircraft types fall in two broad categories viz aerodynes (heavier-than-air) and aerostats (lighter-than-air). Helicopters and variants, and conventional fixed-wing aircrafts fall under aerodynes, balloons and airships fall under aerostats.
Hereby, we describe aircraft types according to design, propulsion and usage:-
Design Classification
The first classification according to design is divided between heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air aircraft. Heavier-than-air aircraft uses two major ways to produce the lift ie aerodynamic lift and engine lift. For aerodynamic lift, aircraft uses wings and for engine lift aircraft uses engine power to defeat gravity. Monoplanes, biplanes, trip lanes and all conventional aircrafts are examples of aerodynamic lift aircrafts while rockets and so called VTOL (vertical take off and landing) planes are examples of engine lift aircrafts.
Hot air balloons, gas balloons, and airships (sometimes called dirigible balloons which have a non-rigid construction) and rigid airships, which have a rigid frame are examples of lighter-than-air aircraft. These kind of aircrafts make use of the lighter gas such as helium or hydrogen, even hot air to produce the lift.
Propulsion Classification
Lighter-than-air aircrafts like balloons and gliders do not have any propulsion. Balloons drift with the wind and gliders take off from high altitude or location, or can be pulled into the air from ground by a winch or towed aloft by a powered tug aircraft.
Early heavier-than-air aircrafts used a piston or shaft engine with propeller as propulsion. The configuration of the engine may vary but they all work according to the same principle.
Usage Classification
By usage aircraft types may be classified as recreational, military, and commercial.
For recreation all types of aircrafts can be used like balloons, gliders and of course conventional aircrafts. Gliders and balloons are exclusively used for recreational purpose although they have been used in times of war in the past.
For military purpose aircraft was first used in World War 1. Bombers, Strike and Reconnaissance, Patrol, tanker and utility aircraft, Army cooperation, Fighter aircraft, Military Trainers, Military Helicopters are all used for military purposes.
From the time to Wright Brothers, when man flew for the first time till now aircraft technology has reached to a new horizon. An aircraft can be defined as a vessel or machine capable to move through the air. An airplane is a popular example of this kind of machine, however there are many others that fall under this category, these are helicopters, airships and hot air balloons.
Aircraft types fall in two broad categories viz aerodynes (heavier-than-air) and aerostats (lighter-than-air). Helicopters and variants, and conventional fixed-wing aircrafts fall under aerodynes, balloons and airships fall under aerostats.
Hereby, we describe aircraft types according to design, propulsion and usage:-
Design Classification
The first classification according to design is divided between heavier-than-air and lighter-than-air aircraft. Heavier-than-air aircraft uses two major ways to produce the lift ie aerodynamic lift and engine lift. For aerodynamic lift, aircraft uses wings and for engine lift aircraft uses engine power to defeat gravity. Monoplanes, biplanes, trip lanes and all conventional aircrafts are examples of aerodynamic lift aircrafts while rockets and so called VTOL (vertical take off and landing) planes are examples of engine lift aircrafts.
Hot air balloons, gas balloons, and airships (sometimes called dirigible balloons which have a non-rigid construction) and rigid airships, which have a rigid frame are examples of lighter-than-air aircraft. These kind of aircrafts make use of the lighter gas such as helium or hydrogen, even hot air to produce the lift.
Propulsion Classification
Lighter-than-air aircrafts like balloons and gliders do not have any propulsion. Balloons drift with the wind and gliders take off from high altitude or location, or can be pulled into the air from ground by a winch or towed aloft by a powered tug aircraft.
Early heavier-than-air aircrafts used a piston or shaft engine with propeller as propulsion. The configuration of the engine may vary but they all work according to the same principle.
Usage Classification
By usage aircraft types may be classified as recreational, military, and commercial.
For recreation all types of aircrafts can be used like balloons, gliders and of course conventional aircrafts. Gliders and balloons are exclusively used for recreational purpose although they have been used in times of war in the past.
For military purpose aircraft was first used in World War 1. Bombers, Strike and Reconnaissance, Patrol, tanker and utility aircraft, Army cooperation, Fighter aircraft, Military Trainers, Military Helicopters are all used for military purposes.