Wingspan

The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the opposite wingtip. It is an important measurement that helps scientists and engineers understand how these creatures and machines fly. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of 60.93 metres (199 ft 11 in), showing just how large modern airplanes can be.

In the animal world, the record for the largest wingspan belongs to a wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans), which had a wingspan of 3.63 metres (11 ft 11 in) when it was measured in 1965. This enormous wingspan helps the albatross glide effortlessly over the oceans for long distances without flapping its wings.

The term wingspan is also used for other winged animals such as pterosaurs, bats, and insects, as well as for special flying machines called ornithopters. Even in humans, the idea of wingspan is used to describe something called arm span, which is the distance between the fingertips of each arm when raised parallel to the ground at shoulder height.

Wingspan of aircraft

The wingspan of an aircraft is measured in a straight line from one wingtip to the opposite wingtip, no matter the shape or angle of the wings.

The size and shape of wings matter for both animals and airplanes. Bigger, longer wings help heavier animals and planes stay in the air. Birds like albatrosses and many airplanes have long, narrow wings for steady, long flights. Shorter, broader wings help with quick turns, which is useful for animals that need to catch insects or avoid danger, and for airplanes that need to be very maneuverable.

Wingspan of flying animals

To measure the wingspan of a bird, you place it flat on its back and measure from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other wing. For insects, the wingspan is measured from the center of the body to the tip of the wing and then doubled.

Main article: Wrist
Main articles: Primary feathers, Apices
Further information: Perpendicular

Wingspan in sports

In sports like basketball and gridiron football, wingspan is measured from fingertip to fingertip. This is also called "reach" in boxing.

For example, a young basketball player named BeeJay Anya had a wingspan of 7 feet 9 inches. Another player, Manute Bol, had an even longer wingspan of 8 feet 6 inches, which is the longest ever recorded in basketball history.

Wingspan records

The wingspan is the distance from one wingtip to the other. Some animals and aircraft have very large wingspans, while others have very small ones.

Largest wingspan

• Aircraft: Scaled Composites Stratolaunch — 117 m (383 ft 10 in)
• Bat: Large flying fox – 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
• Bird
  • Extant: Wandering albatross – 3.63 m (11 ft 11 in)
  • Extinct: Pelagornis – Approximately 6.06–7.38 m (19 ft 11 in – 24 ft 3 in)
• Insect
  • Extant: White witch moth – 28.6 cm (11.3 in)
  • Extinct: Meganeuropsis (Griffinfly, relative of dragonflies) – Approximately 71 cm (2 ft 4 in)
• Reptile: Hatzegopteryx (Azhdarchid pterosaur) – Approximately 10–12 m (32 ft 10 in – 39 ft 4 in)

Smallest wingspan

• Aircraft
  • Biplane: Starr Bumble Bee II – 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
  • Jet: Bede BD-5 – 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in)
  • Twin engine: Colomban Cri-cri – 4.9 m (16 ft 1 in)
• Bat: Bumblebee bat – 16 cm (6.3 in)
• Bird: Bee hummingbird – 6.5 cm (2.6 in)
• Insect: Tanzanian parasitic wasp (Fairyfly) – 0.2 mm (0.0079 in)
• Reptile: Nemicolopterus (Tapejaromorph pterosaur) – Approximately 25 cm (10 in)