Aspect ratio:

Aspect ratio of a wing is defined as the square of the wingspan divided by the wing area. For a rectangular wing, it is defined as the ratio of wingspan to the ratio of the wing chord. High aspect ratio wings have a long span like high-performance gliders. Low aspect ratio wings have short spans or thick chords. Induced drag of an aircraft is inversely proportional to aspect ratio. A higher aspect ratio wing has a lower induced drag than a lower aspect ratio wing. Lift to drag ratio of an aircraft increases with aspect ratio which improves the fuel economy of the aircraft.

Aspect ratio of a wing can be defined by \[AR = \frac{{{b^2}}}{S}\]

where ‘b’ is the wing span and ‘S’ is the projected wing area.

However, there are limitations to a higher aspect ratio. There are structural limitations. A long wing will require a higher structural-design because of a higher bending stress. A low aspect ratio wing is more maneuverable and has a higher roll angular acceleration than a high aspect ratio wing. High aspect ratio wing has a higher parasitic drag.

Low aspect ratio,moderate aspect ratio and high aspect ratio wing aircrafts