heavier than air

/ˈhɛviər ðən ˈɛr/
adjective
  1. Describing an aircraft that is heavier than the air it displaces and stays aloft by aerodynamic lift, such as airplanes and helicopters.
    • Most modern aircraft are heavier-than-air, unlike balloons or blimps.
    • Heavier-than-air flight requires engines or propellers to generate lift.
    • The Wright brothers invented the first successful heavier-than-air flying machine.
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