For them, short-span, broad wings are preferred. Alternatively, animals and aircraft which depend on maneuverability (fighters, predators and the preyed upon, and those who live amongst trees and bushes, insect catchers, etc.) need to be able to roll fast to turn, and the high moment of inertia of long narrow wings, as well as the high angular drag and quick balancing of aileron lift with wing lift at a low rotation rate, produces lower roll rates. Long-ranging birds, like albatrosses, and most commercial aircraft maximize aspect ratio. For efficient steady flight, the ratio of span to chord, the aspect ratio, should be as high as possible (the constraints are usually structural) because this lowers the lift-induced drag associated with the inevitable wingtip vortices.
The area is the product of the span times the width ( mean chord) of the wing, so either a long, narrow wing or a shorter, broader wing will support the same mass. The lift from wings is proportional to their area, so the heavier the animal or aircraft the bigger that area must be. Implications for aircraft design and animal evolution The wingspan of an aircraft is always measured in a straight line, from wingtip to wingtip, independently of wing shape or sweep. 1.1 Implications for aircraft design and animal evolution.
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