Fixed-wing aircraft


A fixed-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air craft where movement of the wings in relation to the aircraft is not used to generate lift. The term is used to distinguish from rotary-wing aircraft, or ornithopters, where the movement of the wing surfaces relative to the aircraft generates lift. Modern jet transport aircraft take off at roughly 180 mph (290 km/h), and cruise at over 500 mph (800 km/h). Fixed-wing aircraft are commonly called airplanes in North America (the U.S. and Canada), and aeroplanes in Commonwealth countries (other than Canada) and Ireland. These terms are derived from Greek aéros- ("air") and -plane[1]. Both terms are often shortened to just planes.