In message ,
writes
On Wed, 2 Jul 2003 14:26:00 +1000, "The Raven"
wrote:

http://www.etymonline.com
airplane - 1907, in Amer.Eng. largely superseding earlier aeroplane
(1873, and still common in British Eng.), from Fr. aéroplane, from Gk.
aero- "air" + stem of planer "to soar" (see plane (1)). Aircraft is
also from 1907; airship is 1888, from Ger. Luftschiff "motor-driver
dirigible."

plane (1) - "flat surface," 1604, from L. plantum "flat surface," from
neut. of planus "flat, level." The verb meaning "soar, glide on
motionless wings" is 1410, from M.Fr. planer, from L. planum on notion
of bird gliding with flattened wings.

The French for 'Glider' is 'Planeur'.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell