An aircraft comprises a body portion and a pair of wings extending from either side of the body portion. An upward step is formed in the underside of the body portion in the center of the aircraft, and defines a rearwardly facing riser surface. The riser surface extends outwardly toward the wing tips, terminating substantially inwardly of the wing tips so that a majority of the length of the underside of each wing is uninterrupted by the riser surface. The step is located at the front-to-rear center of gravity of the aircraft, and provides an area of low pressure adjacent the riser surface to maintain the rear portion of the aircraft down. The aircraft can be constructed either as a full-scale or a small-scale aircraft.