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> making the single-seat fighter also the first supersonic aircraft manufactured in Latin America Would the Ariane rockets also qualify as "supersonic aircraft

by dadoum 7mo ago

> making the single-seat fighter also the first supersonic aircraft manufactured in Latin America Would the Ariane rockets also qualify as "supersonic aircraft manufactured in Latin America" in some overly pedantic way? I mean, personally I wouldn't consider it as manufactured there (as it's only final assembly), whether French Guiana actually belongs to Latin America is also up for debate and even designating a rocket as an aircraft would be a stretch in my opinion, but I would be interested to know how it can be objectively dismissed.

mopsi 7mo ago
Aircraft depend on the air for lift and/or propulsion. Rockets do not; they are not aircraft because they can operate outside of the atmosphere.
dmitrygr 7mo ago
*AIR*craft are craft that need & use air. Rockets not only do not need air, they prefer a lack of air. So they are not aircraft. They are spacecraft (they are designed for and prefer space)
- snypher 7mo ago
  To clarify they use air to generate lift and hence the ability to travel in the Z-axis, not that they need air to make the propulsion system work. Edit: if you strapped a Raptor engine to a 747 it would still be an aircraft.
  - dmitrygr 6mo ago
    You outpedanted me, nicely done, sir.