An airliner is a large airplane used for carrying passengers. It may be a twin-engine or jet aircraft, or a single-engine propeller aircraft. Typical features include a cockpit, enclosed cabin, lavatories, and passenger seating that is divided into different classes, with first class, business class, and economy class seats. Some airliners feature reclining seats that allow passengers to sleep during long flights. The aircraft is usually pressurized and can fly at high altitudes.
A flight attendant handles the in-flight needs of passengers aboard most airliners. The flight attendant is responsible for assisting with meal service, drinks, and other on-board amenities. Depending on the airline, the airliner may also carry cargo such as mail, freight, or medical supplies.
Most modern passenger airliners are multi-engine aircraft that can carry dozens of passengers. Airbus, Boeing, and Lockheed are the leading producers of commercial airliners. In addition to the major manufacturers, small companies produce twin-engine and jet aircraft for regional use. Examples include Cessna, Piper, Britten-Norman, and Beechcraft.
The aircraft’s fuselage, which holds the cockpit and passenger compartments together, is located in the front of the airliner. The wings are positioned in the rear of the aircraft, and some have flaps for additional lift or controllability. Most modern airliners are equipped with electronic navigation and communication systems.
Some older airliners, such as the Concorde, have a jet engine mounted in the tail. This configuration makes the aircraft less aerodynamic, but provides additional power for the plane’s climb and descent.
A wing’s shape affects how much lift it generates, how much drag it has, and whether it stalls or not. An elliptical wing, like the Supermarine Spitfire fighter of World War II, is more desirable aerodynamically for a subsonic airplane because it has a lower drag profile than a rectangular wing.
Although most airliner accidents are catastrophic, there are survivors in most crashes. This is due in part to the fact that passenger airliners are designed to be as safe as possible for their passengers. Various safety advancements are under investigation to make airliners even safer.
In the 1930s, large consolidated airlines were established with regular international services around the world. During this time, the Handley Page Type W was developed in Britain as a civil transport aircraft. It could carry two crew members in an open cockpit and 15 passengers in an enclosed cabin. A competitor, the Farman F.60 Goliath, was built during the same period and could accommodate 14 passengers. The Goliath was not pressurized and had some safety concerns, however, so it did not achieve widespread success. The first true jet-powered airliner was the de Havilland Comet, which became the flagship of British Airways’ fleet. Other jet aircraft followed, such as the Sud-Aviation Caravelle and the McDonnell Douglas DC-4. Trijets such as the Lockheed L-1011 and the Boeing 747 began to appear, along with twinjets such as the Ilyushin Il-86 and Il-96. The Airbus A340, A380, and the double-decker A380 entered service as well.
