Aircraft is the umbrella term for anything that flies with a crew or payload — aeroplanes, helicopters, gliders, airships, drones. An airplane is one type of aircraft: fixed wings and an engine. Every airplane is an aircraft; a helicopter is an aircraft but not an airplane. Note the spelling: airplane is American, aeroplane British.
The core difference
One is the category, the other a member of it.
- aircraft — any machine that flies: fixed-wing, rotary, lighter-than-air, crewed or not
- airplane — specifically a powered, fixed-wing machine
So a helicopter, a glider, a hot-air balloon and a military drone are all aircraft, and none of them is an airplane.
The plural trap
Aircraft does not change in the plural. One aircraft, six aircraft — never aircrafts. It behaves like sheep and series, and the extra s is the commonest error with the word.
Airplane, aeroplane, plane
- airplane — American spelling
- aeroplane — British and Commonwealth spelling
- plane — the everyday short form in both, and the one most people actually say
Aviation and military writing tends to prefer aircraft throughout, partly because it covers the whole fleet and partly because it sounds precise. In ordinary prose, plane is usually the natural word and neither longer form is needed.
Related terms worth separating
- jet — an aircraft powered by jet engines, not a synonym for airplane
- airliner — a large aircraft carrying paying passengers
- craft — used alone, it can mean a boat as easily as an aircraft; context decides
Frequently asked questions
Is a helicopter an aircraft or an airplane?
An aircraft. Airplane means a powered fixed-wing machine, so a helicopter — which uses rotors — is an aircraft but not an airplane.
Is "aircrafts" a word?
No. Aircraft is the same in singular and plural: one aircraft, six aircraft.
Airplane or aeroplane?
Airplane is American, aeroplane British. Plane is the common short form in both.