landplane

IPA/lˈandpleɪn/
IPA/lˈændpleɪn/

landplane — noun

1. an aircraft that uses runways or firm ground, rather than water, for takeoff and

1.nounC1
Definition

an aircraft that uses runways or firm ground, rather than water, for takeoff and landing

Example

Vikram inspected the landplane on the runway before the test flight.

landplane operating from a runway

After the storm, crews moved the landplane from the grass strip into the hangar.

landplane moved from a grass landing strip

Common collocations
  • twin-engine landplane
  • landplane design
  • landplane pilot
  • convert to a landplane
Synonyms
  • airplane

    A general everyday term; landplane is used when the contrast with water-based aircraft matters.

  • aeroplane

    The British spelling of airplane; like airplane, it is broader and less technical than landplane.

Antonyms
  • seaplane

    A seaplane is built to take off from and land on water rather than ordinary runways.

  • flying boat

    A type of seaplane with a boat-shaped body for water landings.

Grammar Patterns

countable noun

Usage Note

Used mainly in aviation to distinguish aircraft that use land runways from seaplanes and amphibious aircraft.

Common Mistakes

The seaplane waited on the dry runway for takeoff.
The landplane waited on the dry runway for takeoff.
A seaplane is built for water operations, while a landplane is the land-runway type.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Landplane is a technical aviation term for an aircraft that normally uses land runways or firm ground. In everyday English, people usually just say airplane, because most planes are landplanes unless someone needs to contrast them with water-based aircraft. A seaplane is the broad term for aircraft that can land on water. A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a boat-shaped body, while an amphibious aircraft can use both water and land because it has landing gear as well. If the setting involves a runway, taxiway, or grass strip, landplane is the precise contrast term.

airplane ↗seaplane ↗flying boatamphibious aircraft

Common collocations

Nouns

Verbs

Phrases

  • twin-engine landplane
  • convert a seaplane into a landplane
  • landplane version

Prepositions

Etymology

English: land + plane (airplane)

Landplane is a compound formed from land and plane, with plane here meaning airplane. It appeared in aviation English to separate ordinary runway aircraft from seaplanes and other water-operating types.