The planes

The body of the aeroplane is called the fuselage (fyu-si-lage). This is where the passengers sit and includes the cockpit, where the pilot sits during the flight. Under the fuselage is the cargo hold which is where the passengers bags and suitcases are stored.

All aeroplanes have wings to lift them up into the sky. At the back of each wing are sections that move up and down. These are called ailerons (ay-ler-ons), and they help the airplane turn right or left. The wings also have metal flaps called flaps. These also move up and down, but act as brakes, slowing the plane down for landing.

The tail that sticks up at the back of a plane has a part called the rudder. As on a boat, the rudder helps to steer the plane left or right.

The parts of the tail that stick out on either side of the plane have moving parts called the elevators. The elevators makes the plane's nose move up or down, and are used to make the plane go higher or lower.

Underneath the plane is the landing gear. This is the wheels that planes need to travel along the runway during take-off and landing. Landing gear is normally lifted into the plane by machinery once it has taken off. This makes the plane more aerodynamic - they travel through the air more smoothly. Planes are heavy, and when they land they are moving at about 300 km/h. This means that the wheels and tyres have to be extremely strong.

A plane's engines make it go forward, pushing it along the runway and through the sky. There are two types of engine - propeller and jet. Propellers turn round very quickly and pull planes through the air. Jets are more powerful, and force air out behind the plane to push it through the air.