Wingspan

Wingspan refers to the span of an airplane or a bird and is the distance from the left wingtip to the right wingtip.

Wingspan of aircraft

The wingspan of an aircraft is always measured in a straight line, from wingtip to wingtip, independently of wing shape or sweep.

Wingspan of flying animals

To measure the wingspan of a bird, a live or freshly dead specimen is placed flat on its back, the wings are grasped at the wrist joints and ankles, and then the distance is measured between the tips of the longest primary feathers on each wing.