Transport aircraft is a broad category of aircraft that includes:
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Airliner
An airliner is a type of aircraft for transporting passengers and air cargo. Such aircraft are most often operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an ai ...
s, aircraft, usually large and most often operated by airlines, intended for carrying multiple passengers or cargo in commercial service
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Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft (also known as freight aircraft, freighter, airlifter or cargo jet) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted for the carriage of cargo rather than passengers. Such aircraft usually do not incorporate passenger a ...
or freighters, fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers, lacking in passenger amenities and generally featuring one or more large doors for loading cargo; also known as freight aircraft, freighters, airlifters, or cargo jets.
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Mail plane
A mail plane is an aircraft used for carrying mail.
Aircraft that were purely mail planes existed almost exclusively prior to World War II. Because early aircraft were too underpowered to carry cargoes, and too costly to run any "economy class" ...
s, airplanes used for carrying mail
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Military transport aircraft
A military transport aircraft, military cargo aircraft or airlifter is a military-owned transport aircraft used to support military operations by airlifting troops and military equipment. Transport aircraft are crucial to maintaining supply ...
, airplanes or helicopters used to deliver troops, weapons. and military equipment, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in uncontrolled airspace, and employed historically to deliver airborne forces and tow military gliders; sometimes also called military cargo aircraft.
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