Aircraft vs. Airship — What's the Difference?

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

An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.

An aeroplane, helicopter, or other machine capable of flight.

A self-propelled lighter-than-air craft with directional control surfaces. Also called dirigible.

A machine or device, such as an airplane, helicopter, glider, dirigible, or drone, capable of atmospheric flight.

(aviation) A lighter-than-air aircraft that can be propelled forward through the air as well as steered.

A vehicle capable of atmospheric flight due to interaction with the air, such as buoyancy or lift

A police air unit, a police helicopter

Any vehicle, such as an airplane, helicopter, balloon, etc., for floating in, or flying through, the air.

Any aircraft.

A vehicle that can fly

A high ranking official of the RAF, viewed as arrogant and distant.

To transport goods by aircraft.

A steerable self-propelled light-than-air aircraft.

A steerable self-propelled airship