Calculating Wingspan for Gliding: Weight & Aerodynamics

To calculate the wingspan required for a 90-100 pound person to glide, we can use the equation for lift:

```

Lift = 1/2 * density * velocity^2 * wing area

```

Where:

- Lift is the force that opposes gravity and keeps the person in the air

- Density is the density of the air

- Velocity is the speed at which the person is gliding

- Wing area is the area of the wings

Assuming a density of 1.225 kg/m^3 (the density of air at sea level), a velocity of 10 m/s (22 mph), and a weight of 90 kg (200 pounds), we can solve for the wing area:

```

Wing area = 2 * weight / (density * velocity^2)

Wing area = 2 * 90 kg / (1.225 kg/m^3 * 10 m/s^2)

Wing area = 14.7 m^2

```

Therefore, a 90-100 pound person would need a wingspan of approximately 14.7 meters (48 feet) to glide.