Wingspan

Wingspan is the distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the opposite wing when the wings are fully extended. In biology it describes the span of a flying animal’s wings, primarily in birds and bats, and is related to body size, flight style, and ecological niche. In aviation it is a fixed design dimension that measures the distance between wingtips and influences aerodynamics, performance, and infrastructure such as hangar and gate requirements.

For animals, wingspan is usually measured with the wings spread and level. Methods vary by source, but most rely on a standardized posture or photographic measurement. Among birds, longer wingspans often accompany larger bodies, but flight ecology also matters: soaring species tend to have long, narrow wings, while more maneuverable forest species have shorter, broader wings. The wandering albatross has one of the longest wingspans among living birds, about 3.5 meters; the Andean condor is similar in size, and many smaller birds have wingspans well under a meter.

Wingspan affects flight performance. Longer wings relative to body size improve gliding efficiency and endurance but can reduce maneuverability and takeoff performance. In aircraft, a longer wingspan generally increases lift, stability, and the lift-to-drag ratio, while also expanding the space required for takeoff, landing, and storage. Some aircraft use folding or variable-span wings to balance these factors with operational constraints.