Definition
Describing an aircraft whose thrust is produced by one or more propellers turned by an engine, rather than by a jet engine producing thrust directly from exhaust gases.
Plain English
An aircraft that is pushed or pulled through the air by spinning propellers powered by an engine.
Context Anchor
Seen when FAA texts describe or compare airplanes used for basic flight maneuvers, instrument training, and aircraft handling.
Derivation
From 'propeller' (Latin propellere, 'to drive forward') and 'driven' (powered or moved by). Together: an aircraft moved forward by the action of a propeller.
Why Pilots Care
Propeller-driven aircraft handle differently from jets — they produce torque, P-factor, and slipstream effects that affect control inputs, especially during takeoff and climb.
Intuition Check
“Driven” does not mean steered or controlled here. It means the aircraft is powered forward by a propeller.
Example Sentence 1
Most training aircraft are propeller-driven, using a single piston engine to turn a fixed-pitch propeller.
Example Sentence 2
A student practiced steep turns in a propeller-driven trainer before advancing to jets.