Wingspan is the distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the opposite wing on an aircraft. Wingspan is typically measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, which runs from the nose to the tail. Aircraft with longer wingspans often exhibit better aerodynamic efficiency, especially in terms of lift production and fuel efficiency. The wingspan influences an aircraft’s lift, drag, and overall performance. The formula to calculate wingspan as follows:
Where:
- is the Wingspan in m.
- is the Vertical tail moment arm in m.
- is the vertical tail area in m2.
- is the wing reference area in m2.
- is the vertical tail volume ratio.