n aircraft is a machine that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil,[1] or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.

The human activity that surrounds aircraft is called aviation. Crewed aircraft are flown by an onboard pilot, but unmanned aerial vehicles may be remotely controlled or self-controlled by onboard computers. Aircraft may be classified by different criteria, such as lift type, propulsion, usage and others.

Flying model craft and stories of manned flight go back many centuries, however the first manned ascent -- and safe descent -- in modern times took place by hot-air balloon in the 18th century. Each of the two World Wars led to great technical advances. Consequently the history of aircraft can be divided into five eras:

Pioneers of flight, from the earliest experiments to 1913.
First World War, 1914 to 1918.
Inter-war, sometimes called the Golden Age, 1919 to 1938.
Second World War, 1939 to 1945.
Postwar era, also called the jet age, 1946 to the present day. less