How To Make a Paper Airplane

While the Wright brothers are generally credited with inventing and building the world's first successful powered heavier than air flying vehicle, you can experiment with aerodynamics on a smaller scale with nothing more than a single piece of paper. While it is possible to make more complex paper airplanes such as the flapping paper airplane or the delta wing paper airplane, these instructions will describe a fine flying plane requiring just moderate skills.

Step 1  

Fold a standard piece of printer paper (typically 8.5 by 11 inches) vertically in half and crease.

Step 2  

Open up the paper so that the crease is pointing up and fold two adjacent corners to the middle crease.

Step 3  

Fold the point made in the previous step down to the crease so that the flaps are tucked under this fold. Now this should look somewhat like the back of an envelope.

Step 4  

Fold the two corners created by the previous step to the center crease so that the points are about 2/3 of the way down the center crease flap.

Step 5  

Fold up the point that has been covered in the previous step so that it secures the flaps against the crease.

Step 6  

Fold the paper airplane in half so that all the folds made in the previous steps are facing outwards.

Step 7  

Fold the wings down to the bottom so that the wings are perfectly aligned with the bottom of the airplane.

Step 8  

Unfold the wings slightly so that they are perpendicular to the body of the airplane and form a flat surface next to each other.

Step 9  

Test fly to get the feeling of how to throw the airplane by starting rather gently so that it glides along in the air, then experiment with medium to hard throws, and you will find that it flies very well indeed!

Tips

• Use a ruler, fingernail, or credit card to make the creases very crisp.
• If your airplane does not fly well, tape the wings together but don't use too much - you don't want to throw off the balance of the airplane. You could also try a very small amount of glue.
• Fly it on a hot day from a high place: it will catch thermals and cover a longer distance.
• Perhaps the making and flying could be studied as a science lesson, algebra function or geometry of some kind: try to make up an idea for a class lesson with some kind of problems; be a heroic "learner!"
• This paper airplane works best when thrown gently so don't throw it as hard as you can.

Warnings

• While in school, teachers do not appreciate these being made or thrown during the teaching or class-work time; it is too disruptive unless you can create that lesson in the tips! Be ready for pretty serious "discipline" if you try it...
• Do not throw in a direction where it may cause harm. Especially, do not throw it at somebody's face.