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jet aircraft
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The Bell P-59A Airacomet, the first U.S. jet fighter. A white Gulfstream G450 private jet with landing gear extended is flying against a backdrop of clouds. Heinkel He 178 The German Heinkel He 178, the world's first successful jet airplane. Labeled diagram of a passenger jet airplane with a cutaway view showing internal sections such as cabins, galleys, cockpit, fuel tanks, cargo holds, and major external components including engines, landing gear, flaps, ailerons, and tail assembly.
Boeing 747 undergoing maintenance inside a hangar, viewed from above with parts of its wings removed.
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jet aircraft

Also known as: jet airplane
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The Bell P-59A Airacomet, the first U.S. jet fighter.
The Bell P-59A Airacomet, the first U.S. jet fighter.

A jet aircraft is propelled by a jet engine, which works by ingesting air, compressing it, mixing it with fuel, and igniting the mixture. The resulting hot, high-pressure gases are then ejected at high speed, generating thrust according to Newton's second law of motion.12

The development of jet engines began in the early 20th century, with Frank Whittle in England patenting a turbojet design in 1930. Germany also made independent advancements, with the first turbojet-powered flight occurring in 1939. By the end of World War II, jet aircraft were in limited operational use.3

Jet engines have evolved into various types, including turbojets, turbofans, turboprops, and propfans, each optimized for different flight speeds and efficiencies. The first civil jet transport, the de Havilland Comet, flew in 1949, and jet airliners like the Boeing 707 soon followed, revolutionizing air travel.423

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7 Britannica Sources
  1. jet engine - Development of jet engines
  2. jet airplane
  3. jet engine - The propulsor
  4. jet engine - General characteristics
  5. airplane - Civil aircraft
  6. jet engine - Low-bypass turbofans and turbojets
  7. airplane - Jet engines

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