Why is the flute different from rest of wood wind family?

The flute is actually not a woodwind instrument, but a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The flute is part of the aerophone family, which includes instruments that produce sound by the vibration of air. Other woodwind instruments, such as the clarinet, oboe, and bassoon, produce sound by the vibration of a reed, while the flute produces sound by the vibration of air across a hole in the body of the instrument.