What was the approximate wingspan of the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer?

The Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer had an approximate wingspan of 40 feet 4 inches.

The Flyer was a large, lightweight biplane with two stacked wings connected by struts and wires. Its wingspan was roughly 40 feet, while the aircraft’s overall length was about 21 feet 1 inch. The brothers used a twin-wing arrangement because it provided lifting area without requiring a single extremely long and fragile wing.

The wingspan is sometimes confused with the Flyer’s length or with the dimensions of later Wright aircraft. The 1903 machine also carried a 12-horsepower engine and used wing warping, a forward elevator, and a rear rudder for control. These features made its size significant: it was broad enough to lift its pilot and engine, yet light enough to fly in coastal winds.