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Edited title to match the question in the body.

Considering the propeller as a wing, what differentiates a rotary wing aircraft from a fixed wing aircraft?

An aviation expert reminded me that a propeller is a wing.

While I understand that propellers use similar principles to generate force, it muddied the definition of a rotary wing aircraft vs a fixed wing aircraft. If the propeller of a fixed wing aircraft is considered a wing, what is the distinction between the two? Is it how much surface area each type of wing works on? Is it the direction of force?

Adam Davis
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