aeroplane or airplane?
 

Which name do you choose to name Aircraft? And why?

Similar note:

Pilot, Aviator, Pile-it, or dirty ole motor plane driver?

I know I'm the last one...

.. depends on whether your cultural lineage is British or American. We all know what the other fellow intends so it really doesn't matter a toss, I suggest ?

For me, aeroplane.

When in rome.....

Aircraft...

aero's
 

Aeroplane using the Queens.

Airplane is easier, but 'aircraft' resolves all ambiguity, however it's better said within the industry, i.e. imagine pointing up in the sky telling your children " look at that aircraft, i wish I could have a go flying that beauty " or "look at that aeroplane..." The former sounds better in general I thinks.

I'm no linguist however the word air as blended to airplane is a noun. Aero, as blended into aeroplane, is an adjective and so describes the plane component of the word aeroplane. Plane me thinks is an adjective that contributes to the dimension of the aero. So alls in alls me thinks aero fits wit plane better and more proper... given the choice between aero and air that is. :E

:8

Helicopter, of course :E

Well now rotary obsessed person, get thee to a nice soft pad and give her the herbs and screw thyself well into the ground.

John T sums it up in a knut shell - whether Anglophile or Septic, it does not matter a toss.

Helicopter is an aircraft but is not an airplane or aeroplane.

Aeroplanes are graceful creatures that fly. Whereas helicopters don't fly. They are so ugly that the earth actually repels them.

Airplane, aircraft, aeroplane - all good.

Just so long one doesn't get lazy and revert to the moronic 'plane'.

Which pretty much includes everyone in the Australian media I guess.


Choice bro'!

I just hope BA Baracas gets it sorted in the new A-Team movie.

"Murdoch, I aint gettin' in no winged vehicles capable of flight, generally heavier than air and driven by jets, piston nor turboprop engines. Fool !!!"

Bet you're not game to tell a "plane captain" that he's a moron, should you be so educated as to know what a "plane captain" is. :8 :p

History of the word "plane": The plane in which we fly is properly named for a very important element of its structure, the wing that keeps it in the air. But the story behind this name is slightly complicated. To begin with, plane in the sense of "winged vehicle," first recorded in April 1908, is a shortened form of aeroplane. In June of that year "plane" appeared in a quotation from the London Times that mentioned one of the Wright brothers. Aeroplane, first recorded in 1866, is made up of the prefix aero-, "air, aviation," and the word plane, referring to the structure designed to keep an air vehicle aloft. Originally the plane in such contexts was imagined as flat, hence the choice of the word plane; in practice this surface must curve slightly in order to work. The word aeroplane for the vehicle is first found in 1873. The first recorded appearance of the form airplane in our current sense, which uses air- instead of aero-, is found in 1907. An American flies in an airplane while a Briton still travels in an aeroplane, but both can catch a plane.

Aircraft = aeroplane, helicopter, gyroplane, balloon.
Airplane = aeroplane

Is Australia, it's very definitely aeroplane. 'Airplane' from a foreign dialect but it has unfortunately started to pollute our great Aussie one.
I also have no problem with 'plane'.

I was wrong. Looks like I need to expand things to include the global media.

Thanks for helping to prove my point.

Not answered the "plane captain" question so nothing proved yet. :E

What "plane captain" question? Look again - you made a statement, as opposed to posing a question.

If only I had uber-powers.
[Click]

It's interesting the modern day aviators who get their knickers in a twist over the use of the word "plane" when referring to aircraft. It's a debate that raises its head with monotonous regularity and we have the righteous who claim the proper use of the word refers to a tool used in woodwork (among other meanings). Now if an august journal such as "Flight" uses the word repetitively in 1920, if not earlier (I couldn't be bothered searching back earlier), it's good enough for me have the populous et al refer to aeroplanes or aircraft as "planes".

When applied to air machines of war it increases their effectiveness and efficiency, prevents the loss of planes in combat and protects the lives of pilots.

The factors entering into the correct solution of the camouflage problem are the functions of the plane, its visibility and the psychological effect of this deception or camouflage on the human mind.

It is, therefore, necessary, that all under-surfaces of such planes be coated with some material that would be as bright as possible and would reflect back to the earth not only a large quantity of light, but also the colour of the sky.
This is an enormous advantage for aircraft operating under war conditions, as it places the pilot of the plane in a position to observe without being observed with the additional advantage that a plane can operate with a greater load if the ceiling at which it must travel can be lowered.

plane | aeronautical camouflage | camouflage | 1920 | 0979 | Flight Archive

Does "Flight" circa 1920 qualify as moronic global media Fragnasty? Or maybe a lesson in history? ;)

Whats all this talk about Airplanes and Aeroplanes? They're "Big Metal Seagulls!!!" Well most of them are anyway.

Also, why is a helicopter often referred to as a "Machine" while Aeroplanes are "Planes" when clearly they are both machines.