What is a Fixed Wing Airplane?
Generally speaking, if an aircraft requires a landing strip it is considered to be a fixed wing airplane. The wings are permanently attached to the fuselage of the plane and do not provide power for thrust. Fixed wing aircraft can range in size from the smallest experimental stunt plane to the largest commercial jet or military bomber. The one thing all of these planes have in common is a wing and rudder assembly combined with a separate power source such as a jet engine or propeller. Aircraft such as helicopters and hovercraft are not considered fixed wing, because they use the power of rotors to achieve both thrust and lift.
