Definition
Airplanes whose wings are attached to the lower portion of the fuselage, so the wings sit below the cabin rather than above it.
Plain English
An airplane built with the wings mounted at the bottom of the body, beneath the seats and cabin.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in aircraft design descriptions, preflight inspection guidance, and discussions of landing gear, tires, brakes, fuel drains, and wing clearance.
Why Pilots Care
Affects propeller clearance on the ground, ease of passenger loading, and roll stability.
Intuition Check
Low-wing does not mean the airplane flies low. It means the wings are attached low on the airplane’s body.
Example Sentence 1
The Piper Warrior is a low-wing airplane, so the student climbed onto the wing root to reach the cabin door.
Example Sentence 2
Low-wing airplanes tend to have shorter landing gear legs than high-wing models.