All too often, the term AIRCRAFT

[JohnDBarrow]

non-specialists, laymen

When I was in the Army, there was an old Dept. of the Army technical manual labeled in the shop for an "observation airplane". I'm not sure what US military model it was for.

I know an OH-58 was a military observation helicopter, basically a Bell Jet Ranger like the cops have. They might have otherwise termed GLIDER "thermalplane" instead. Some gliders are termed "sailplane". But do they really SAIL like a boat of ship at sea?