Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Ready for Take Take Off! Of f!
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Ready for Take Take Off! Of f!
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
TableofContents 3
LetterfromtheEditor
6
HistoryoftheWorld RecordPaperAirplane Ken Blackburn tells a story on how he created the world record paper airplane.
10
HowIsettheGuinness WorldRecord This article, also written by Ken Blackburn, explains how he set the Guinness World Record.
11
TheBasicsofFolding This article introduces the reader to the
basics of paper airplane folding.
12
FoldingandFlying YourPlanes Almost anyone can make paper airplanes, but it helps to know a little bit about them. This article will teach you how to achieve great
ights from the start.
14
SettingUpaPaper AirplaneContest This article provides guidelines for setting up paper airplane contests
plus… 16
Aspecialsectionincludingstepby-stepinstructionsonfolding paperairplanesforbothnovices andadvancedfolders. Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Paper Airplane A Workmen Publication
Editor in Chief
Nick Robinson
Art Director
Alison Fortney
Writer at Large
Ken Blackburn
Associate Editor
Troy Underwood
Contributing Editors Jeff Lammers Keith Laux
Associate Art Director Bob Stocki
Student Intern Howdy Doody
Production Vickie Bales John Kenzie Tom Kadzielawski Jennifer Jezler Nolan Chan
Member, American Society of Magazine Editors ASME works to preserve editorial independence and speaks out on public policy issues, particularly those pertaining to the First Amendment.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Paper Airplane Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 2, January 2013; ISSN 0362-4595) is published monthly by Paper Airplane Magazine, Inc., 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 312-222-1234, fax 312-456-7890, a division of Workmen Publications. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions, $24 per year. Single copy: $4.95. Paper Airplane assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials. For information regarding subscription renewals, payments or changes of address, call 800-999-1234. o settle address changes in writing, send us both your new and old addresses, along with the code number from your address label. Include old and new zi p codes. © 2012 by Paper Airplane Magazine. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in while or in part without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. For article reprints, call Wright’s Reprints, 877-123-4444. Portions of Paper Airplane Magazine are available in microform from Bell & Howell and University Microfilms. Te names Paper Airplane Magazine and Paper Airplane Guide are trademarks of Paper Airplane Magazine, Inc. Postmaster: Send changes of address to Paper Airplane Magazine, P.O. Box
FromtheEditor Man’s desire to y dates back to the earliest times, from the
design on earth. Many hundreds
legendary Icarus and the 18th-
made over the years by eager schoolchildren and by adults with a little time to spare. No one knows exactly how old
century efforts of the Montgoler Brothers, right up to the fateful Thursday in 1903 when Wilbur
and Orville Wright made the rst heavier-than-air ight. Nowadays, we take it for granted when aircraft y at several times the speed of sound with a computer in control, performing the most amazing acrobatics. Yet, deep within us, there is still
a fascination with all things that are able to leave the earth behind.
Few of us have been able to watch swallows swoop and ve in the evening sun without feeling a touch of envy. This longing may be one
cause of our love affair with paper airplanes. The traditional
dart is probably the most folded
of thousands must have been
because paper aircraft remind us of the carefree days of our youth, and the thrill of sending a dart higher and further than anyone else. Despite its apparently trivial
nature, creating paper aircraft
the concept of a paper plane is,
can be an exacting and time-
but it is probably a 20th-century
consuming activity. The designers of sophisticated aircraft know of the value of simple aerodynamics, as
innovation. The folding of paper aircraft has close links with the art of origami (which literally means “folding paper”). The growth of interest in paper ight in the 1960s was probably an offshoot of the great technical and artistic advances made in origami during that period.
Most of the designs in this
displayed by a paper dart. This magazine is aimed at anyone who has ever wanted to try their hand at tried and tested
paper aircraft, and it also includes one or two rather unorthodox
designs. No previous folding experience is needed. After trying
magazine have been created by people who are primarily
these examples, I hope you will
paper-folders rather than aircraft enthusiasts, but the appeal of paper aircraft transcends the appeal of origami. Perhaps this is
your own designs, but to try other subjects and discover the true and
feel inspired not only to create
lasting joy of paper-folding. Nick Robinson, editor
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
HistoryoftheWorldRecordPaperAirplane
W
hen I was about eight years old, I made one of my fre quent trips to the aviation section
of the library in Kernersville, North Carolina, and checked out a book
that included instructions for a simple square paper airplane. I
found that it ew better than the paper darts I was used to making. Thrown straight up, it reached much higher altitudes. To the dismay of my teachers, I fold ed many of these planes, experimenting with changes to the original design.
(One of the beauties of paper airplanes is that they are perfectly suited to trial and error testing. If one doesn’t work, it’s cheap and easy to start over.) One of my designs would level off at the peak of its climb and then start a slow down ward glide. Sometimes, with the help
of rising air currents, I achieved ights lasting nearly a minute and covering
about 1,000 feet.
With this goal in mind, I rened my plane designs and worked on my throw. Many people are suprised to learn that I consider the throw to be almost as important as the plane itself. The faster the throw, the high -
er the airplane toes and, therefore, the longer the ight. In 1979, when I was a junior
A Second Attempt
August of 1981 was the beginning of four years of aerospace engineer ing at North Carolina State University. I lived on the sixth then the eighth
oor, perfect airplane launching pads (even though throwing objects from dorm windows was strictly prohibit-
in high school, I made an ofcial
ed). I made planes from every paper product available—from pizza boxes
attempt at the world record. The record was described in the Guinness
to computer punch cards—in many
Book as time “over level ground,” so I chose the school’s baseball eld as my staging ground. One afternoon,
bizarre shapes, and soon infected the dorm with plane-ying fever. Still, it wasn’t until my junior year
that my friends began encouraging
with my teachers as timers and a reporter on hand from the Win -
me to make another stab at the
ston-Salem Jounal, I let my favorite square plane y. With the help of the wind, I made a ight of 24.9 seconds, and was sure I had own right into the pages of history. Unfortunately, the letter I received back from Guinness Superlatives,
to give it a try. I practiced several times at the school coliseum, keep-
world record, and I nally decided
ing the best plane from my sessions, nicknamed “old Bossy,” for the record attempt. Old Bossy was regularly achieving times over 17 seconds, well above the 15-second record.
In 1977, I received a Guinness
Ltd., wasn’t quite what I had hoped
Book of World Records as a gift. Naturally the rst thing I turned to
for. They informed me that the ight had to be performed indoors.
was the aviation section. The paper
airplane “time aloft” record was 15 seconds, set by William Pryor
The next year, I worked parttime at Reynolds Coliseum in Winston-Salem, parking cars and
in 1975. It dawned on me that
moving equipment. In my time off,
my planes (without help from the wind) were ying at close to world
sent the plan hurtling into the upper reaches of the coliseum… and di-
I had access to the largest indoor paper airplane practice arena I
rectly into a cluster of speakers near
record times. On my next outing, I
would ever need. My best ights yielded times of over 17 seconds, and I new the record was mine for
plane, Old Bossy, gone forever.
the taking, but I got sidetracked by college applications.
quickly made another airplane. My second throw with the new plane
timed the best ights. They weren’t quite long enough to break the record, but with a little work I thought I could do it.
1985 Guinness Book of World Records Paper Airplane The ight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 16.89 seconds by Ken Blackburn in the Reynolds Coliseum at NC State University, Raleigh, on November 29, 1983. Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
A friend arranged for a reporter from the school newspaper to meet us at the coliseum. I made a few warm-up throws, and then reached
for Old Bossy. With a mighty heave, I
the ceiling. I was devastated. My best My roommate handed me a
piece of ordinary copier paper and I
1989 Guinness Book of World Records Paper Airplane The ight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 17.20 seconds by Ken Blackburn at the Mecca Convention Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 28, 1987.
was the best of the afternoon at 16.89 seconds. It eat the old record, but I knew I could have done better with Old Bossy. I sent Guinness the newspaper article, signatures
of the witnesses, and Old Bossy’s replacement. This time Guinness responded with the letter I’d been
waiting for.
Many people are surprised to learn that I consider the throw to be almost as important as the plane itself.
Round Three With my best practice airplane packed in an old show box, I set out on my all-expense-paid extravaganza to Milwaukee. It turned out that Tony Feltch, the distance
As the plan came to a smooth si-
lent landing on the oor, the ofcial yelled out, “17.20 seconds!” Yes, a new world record! I made two more throws, but neither beat the record.
record holder for paper airplanes,
Another Chance
was also there, trying to beat his record, and that we’d be making our attempts in the Milwaukee Convention Center.
For a little while after my segment aired I felt like a celebrity.
Tony went rst and, after only a few throws, broke his old record, achieving a distance of nearly 200 feet. Addition-
al lming and interviews with Tony dragged on for hours, leaving me on the sidelines, sweating bullets. Finally, it was my turn. I picked
Friends and relatives called me, and kids in my neighborhood wanted me to autograph paper airplanes. But the excitement soon died down,
and I went back to my normal life. Still, I continued modifying and ying my paper airplanes. In 1990, I ne-tuned my planes, built up my arm, and achieved several 20-sec-
After graduation, I went to work for an aerospace company—Mc-
out my best plane from practice, and got the nod from the producer
ond ights (which, of course, no
Donnell Douglas in St. Louis,
that the cameras were rolling. I heaved the airplane upward, and
ofcially record). In 1994, I received another surprise call from a TV program; this time it was from a British show
Missouri. In the summer of 1987, I was nishing a job on the F-18 Hornet, when I got an unexpected
call from California. A television
watched it oat down. The ofcial called out a time of 15.02 seconds.
one was around to see, much less
called Record Breakers. They want-
production company was putting
I concentrated harder on my second throw, but was again rewarded
together a series featuring people
with a time of only 15.47 seconds.
attempting to break world records. Would I be interested in trying to reset my record? I didn’t have to
Suddenly it struck me that I might not be able to reset the record. Even in good condition, my arm
the world record again in a month in New York City. I enthusiastically agreed and immediately started
think long before replying with a denite yes. The lming was only a few weeks away and I usually
lasts for only a couple of world
needed at least a month to get my throwing arm in shape, so I started practicing immediately.
erything I had. (I estimate that these
record throws in any one day. I made my third throw with evthrows leave my hand at a speed
close to 60 miles per hour.) The launch seemed better, but the stop-
watch would be the nal judge.
1996 Guinness Book of World Records Paper Airplane The ight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 18.80 seconds by Ken Blackburn at American Airlines Hangar 10, JFK Airport, Queens, NY, February 17, 1994.
ed to know if I’d be willing to reset
working out in preparation. I was for tunate enough to nd a trainer who was also the pitcher for a college baseball team and could help me strengthen my 30-year-old arm.
February 17 found me standing next to an enormous DC-10 in American Airlines Hangar Number 10 at JFK Airport, the chosen place
Current Guinness World Record Paper Airplane The ight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 27.6 seconds by Ken Blackburn at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, October 8, 1998.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
for the attempt. I walked up to the plane and looked in awe at the
and Andy Currey, continued working on their planes and set a new record
narrower until I found just the right width. Third, I added crease marks on the wings which, like the dimples on a gold ball, reduced the drag. I started by practicing indoors in
200-foot-long, 100-million-dollar backdrop for my 5-inch-long folded piece of paper. I had an enthusiastic crowd of conlookers consisting of
of 20.9 seconds on July 28, 1996. The
the hangar’s maintenance crew and other personnel, all waiting to see the world record broken. The cameras began to roll. I
freshly printed copy and discovered
felt condent, but more nervous than I’d expected. My rst throw bombed as a result of a poor
months of daily preparation to have a chance of resetting the record. My plan was to construct and test
for the nal assembly of the navy’s newest ghter, the F/A-18E/F,
launch. During my second throw, I
between ve and ten planes a week.
which meant there wasn’t enough
concentrated on good form, giving it everything I had to offer. The launch felt a lot better. The plan started a slow turn to the left,
Initially, I tried radical changes to my design, progressively narrowing in on the best paper airplane design
space, and the 60-foot ceilings
record did not appear in the Guinness Book until the 1998 edition. That January, I glanced through a to my horror that I had been displaced. I had to get my record back. I knew it would take at least six
narrowly avoiding a collision with the DC-10’s tail. I could tell it was
for a record attempt. I also started working with a professional athletic trainer, Dorri Buckholtz, focusing on
a good ight, but only the timer
strengthening my arm. She was ex-
would know exactly how good. When he called out 18.8 seconds, everyone began to clap. I had
tremely helpful, giving me detailed instructions for exercises designed
forgotten the thrill of setting a record, and was running on adrena-
line for hours afterward.
to improve my throwing speed. Despite my new designs, I had the most luck with the original model
order to get consistent ying times. My primary ying site was a large assembly area at Boeing—where
I’d also practiced for my 1994 and 1996 records—but I quickly ran into problems. It was being used
were also proving to be too low.
My best ights often hit the ceiling, and I lost some of my best planes forever when they lodged on top of beams or ventilation ducts. So I began practicing outside, but weather
and air currents made it difcult to determine the exact ight perfor mance of each plane. I knew my best planes were ying just over 20 seconds, but by how much?
Surpassed — Briefy In 1996 the BBC invited me to try to reset my record, this time on live
I’d invented as a kid (the one that’s included with this article). But I did nd a few ways to make the plane y better and more consistently. First, it’s important to keep the folds as at
Finding a facility for attempting
TV in London with 20 other teams
as possible, which I did by pressing
cons), and a date of October 8th,
competing. I won the contest with a
each fold with the side of a pen
1998, was set. Not only did I have a
ight time of 17.3 seconds, but unbe knownst to me, after the event two of the other contestants, Chris Edge
as I constructed the plane. Second, I experimented with making the
facility of my dreams, but the staff
folds both a little wider and a little
day in the dome to practice before
the record was another challenge.
Through the help of a family friend, I eventually secured the Georgia Dome (home of the Atlanta Fal -
also agreed to give me an extra
The world record throw, 1998
Ken Blackburn demonstrating the world record throw
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
I attempted the record!
terproof, crushproof paper airplane hangar) and headed down to the
Atlanta Guinness requires media coverage, videotape, and photographs, as well as the record corroborated by two designated ofcials known as “Scru tineers.” Organizing all this at a loca -
Georgia Dome. As I approached the dome, the clouds appeared to be lifting, so I hoped the humid ity wouldn’t be a problem. When I walked indoors, both CNN and the local news crews were there to greet me. I made some practice throws to warm up my arm and to allow the media some close-up
tion 500 miles from home was quite a challenge, but with the help of my sister, Jackie Tyson, and the publisher
of this magazine, everything came together—now all I had to do was go ahead and set the record! Wednesday, October 7th, was my practice day. Words can’t describe how overwhelming it was to have
one of the largest rooms in the world silent and still, just for me! But there was one problem. It was raining, and with the dome’s venti-
lation turned off, the humidity had ltered indoors as well. It wasn’t a complete show stopper, but it was
affecting my planes. After an hour of testing, only two planes had own beyond the existing record, and both by less than a second! By
the end of the day, I was somewhat satised I could break the record, but only if the humidity didn’t increase further. Thursday, October 8th, started out cloudy and very humid. I grabbed my Rubbermaid contain-
ers (Rubbermaid makes a great wa -
views of my launch. While I waited for everyone else to arrive, I met the Scrutineers, went over the rules, and showed them my planes. Then it was show time. The Final Attempt
The rules allow just ten of cial throws, so rst I took out my best plane from the day before and ne-tuned it until it ew just right and the practice times exceeded 20 seconds. I made sure the Scrutineers were ready, and I
took the eld for my rst ofcial ight. I gave it my best throw—it ew erratically, but still it looked good. I waited nervously for the ofcial time from the Scrutineers.
After a small adjustment, another good ight, 23.1 seconds! Throw number four was another dud, but number ve had a great launch and was 24.2 seconds! Just think, only ve minutes earlier I thought I might not be able to beat the record! Throw number six was a dud, and throws seven and eight were both a little short, and throw nine was another dud. This was my last throw—I gave it all I had. This time it was a great throw, and it had a great transition to slow
ight. When it landed I knew it was a long ight, but loner than 24.2 seconds? I heard the time as I walked over to retrieve my plane: 27.6 seconds! YES! Better than I had ever hoped or dreamed. With luck, help, and hard work, the summit had been reached! I submitted the necessary materials to Guinness, and I received
notication from them on April 30th, 1999, that my record had be-
come ofcial. I may now be retired from setting records—but who knows what the future might hold.
21.3 seconds—a new record! What
a relief. Nonetheless I decided I would use all my available throws to make sure to get the best time possible. The second throw went straight up—and straight down.
The world record paper airplane
Throwing a paper airplane in a stadium
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
HowISettheGuinnessWorldRecord by Ken Blackburn ost people don’t think they can set a world record. I know. I used to think that way, too. I started making paper airplanes just
airplane had own over a level surface was 15.0 seconds. I soon
for the fun of it when I was about
After a year of practice and ne-tuning, I gathered my friends,
M
seven years old. Over the years, I improved my planes and eventual-
ly landed in the Guinness Book of
realized my paper airplanes would
y nearly that long, so I set a goal to try to break the world record.
teachers, and a newspaper reporter
World Records. I have always loved airplanes,
for a record attempt. My plane ew for almost 25 seconds! I was elated until Guinness informed me the
and as a kid I made lots of model airplanes. I enjoyed ying them,
record had to be set indoors. Setting the record had to wait. I needed to
but didn’t like the expense, the building time, and the eventual tree landing or crash. While browsing in the library one day, I discovered several books that showed me how to make some great paper
nd a large enough building to do it
airplanes. I found the best-ying planes were the square-looking ones. I also learned that the real secret to making paper airplanes
y well is the small adjustments you make once you’ve own the planes a few times. Soon I was ying lots of paper airplanes. They ew well, were quick to make, and were just
in, and I also needed to practice and improve my throw. At 20, I was studying to become an aerospace engineer at North Carolina State University. I told some friends about my “almost” re cord, and they decided they would help me try again. They timed my
ights and arranged for a reporter to cover the event.
After a month of practice, we gathered at my college’s basket-
ball arena for the attempt. With a camera and a stopwatch ready, I threw my best plane as hard as
about free. I improved my planes by studying anything I could nd
I could into the upper reaches of
about real airplanes, then making changes to my paper models. I even started coming up with my own plane designs. When I was 13 years old, I de-
into a cluster of speakers. My best plane, gone forever! One of my friends found a sheet of copier paper, and I quickly folded
signed a new plane that ew really
the building, only to watch it glide
16.89 seconds—a new record! After a couple of nervous weeks, the let -
It soon became my favorite plane,
proved the record! After ve years, I had nally reached my goal.
of World Records as a gift. I quickly turned to the section with aircraft records. Among the records was one for paper airplanes. It stat ed that the longest time a paper
-
-
-
•
•
•
another plane. My third throw with this new plane was the best at
well. I could throw it very high outdoors and watch the wind carry it as it slowly glided to the ground. and I worked constantly to improve it. When I was 15 years old, my parents gave me a Guinness Book
GUINNESS GUIDELINES Here are the rules for setting a Guinness World Record for paper airplane time aloft: 1. The ight must take place indoors. 2. The plane must be made from a single sheet of paper that is no longer than 9.84 by 13.90 inch es (250 x 353 mm) and weighs no more than 5 ounces (150 grams). Typing or copier paper works great. 3. 3. It’s OK to use some tape or glue. 4. 4. The plan must be thrown from level ground. The stop watch must start when you release the plan, and end when the plane touches anything (the oor, a wall, a chair…). 5. 5. You’re allowed six attempts. 6. 6. You must submit the follow ing to le a record claim: Signed statements from two witnesses saying that they saw you set the record. A newspaper clipping about the event. Color photographs and a continuous video of the ight (you must have both). NOTE: It is not required that a Guinness representative be present.
ter I wanted arrived—Guinness ap-
Since then I have been able
to reset my record twice—rst at 17.2 seconds, then at 18.8 seconds, where the record stands today. I have had ights of up to 21 sec onds in practice sessions, so maybe I’ll try again. I’d like to break the 20-second barrier.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FAST FACT The world’s largest paper airplane on record had a wing span of 45 feet 10 inches. It was built by students and faculty at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, and on May 15, 1995, they ew it 114 feet indoors.
TheBasicsofFolding aper is composed of bers of
P
If we are folding from squares, another important factor is the
the grain runs from side to side on the nished design. If the wing
special type of glue called “sizing.”
grain. When paper is made, the
creases run with the grain, they
When you gently bend the paper,
bers of wood tend to line up in
will tend to op up and down more
the bers are able to ex and
a certain direction, known as the
return to their original position. When you make a crease in the
“grain”. This makes the paper easier to fold in one direction (with the grain) than the other (against the grain). You can determine the direction of grain by the following procedure. Place the paper at on the palms of your hands and gently ex the sides upward and inward.
easily. When starting a design, look ahead on the diagrams to determine which sides represent the wings. Then turn the paper so that
wood, held together with a
paper, the bers are bent so much that they stay in their new posi-
tion. This means that paper-fold ers must always be accurate. The
paper “remembers” wrong creases just as well as it does correct ones! Accuracy is especially important when making paper airplanes, as
poor folding will probably mean poor ying. The ability of the paper to re member a crease depends on both the composition and the thickness
of the paper. We need to choose a type of paper that will be strong, yet light. This will allow us to fold planes that are rigid enough to cope with crash landings yet not so
heavy as to be difcult to y.
the grain runs across from wing to wing. This theory is easy to apply with square paper, but with rect-
angular paper it will of course be a matter of luck if the grain runs in
Feel the tension in the paper, and not how much it resists the pres-
the ideal way. There is a maximum size beyond
sure of your hands. Now turn the paper around so the next side faces
which paper airplanes won’t y.
toward you and repeat the process. You should be able to detect a dis-
weight of the paper becomes so
tinct difference between the two. If the paper exes easily, the grain is running in a line away from you. If the paper has more resistance, the
grain runs from side to side. We can make use of the grain to stiffen the wings by folding so that
More resistance grain runs horizontally
This because, at a certain point the great that the wings won’t hold their shape and angle. Standard letter-size paper is usually the best, and is certainly the most popular size. Experi-
ment with different makes and types to nd the most suitable.
Less resistance grain runs vertically
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FoldingandFlyingYourPlanes by Jeff Lammers lmost anyone can make paper airplanes, but it helps to know a
A
little about how best to fold them and how to make them y the way you want. The following guidelines will help you have great ights from the get-go. Tip: If you’re a rsttime paper airplane pilot, start with
either the Slice or Pirate’s Secret. They’re excellent iers, easy to fold,
Adjusting the Planes
to bend it right or left. Usually you
Even if you folded your plane per fectly, there’s a good chance that it won’t y well. Why not? Because
only need to bend it a little, but sometimes you will need to bend it so much that it points directly out to the side.
almost all paper airplanes need a
little ne-tuning to y properly.
If your plane isn’t ying straight, throw it a few times and watch
Fast and Slow Adjusting the elevators is probably the most important thing you can do to prevent your plane from diving (when it sud denly swoops to the ground and
which way it turns. Then, holding
your plane from behind, bend the rudder in the direction you want it
crashes) or stalling (when it climbs, slows, then dives). Elevator adjust -
to go. For example, if your plane is veering off to the right, bend the rudder a little to the left. If your plane is heading to the left, bend
ments also let you make the plane
the rudder a little to the right.
marked with three kinds of lines:
y fast or slowly. The elevators on a
solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines. The solid lines show you where to cut the plane. They’re also marked with little pictures of scis sors. The dashed lines are what we
paper airplane are usually located at the back edges of the wings. El evators on real planes are normally
If your plane ies straight and you want it to y to the right, bend
and simple to adjust. Making the Planes The planes in this magazine are
call “fold-in” lines. This means that these lines will be on the inside of a crease; you will not be able to see them once you make the fold. They are your main folding guides and are numbered in the order you should
make the folds. The dotted lines are “fold-away” lines. You’ll be able to see them on the outside of the crease when you make your folds. These lines are guides to help you know
that you’re folding in the right place. Try to make your creases as sharp as possible. It’s smart to run a nger -
nail over the edge after you make a fold. This will help especially with the planes that have a lot of folds in one area, like the World Record Paper Airplane and the Pirate’s Secret. Don’t worry if sometimes your folds are a little off from the dashed and dotted lines. Try your best to fold along the liens, but if they don’t match exactly, it’s OK. The plane will probably
come out ne. Do make sure, however, that your plane’s wings are even. If they are different shapes or sizes, it’ll be hard to get the plane to y well.
on the back edge of the tail and work the same way as elevators on paper airplanes. If you nd that your plane is div ing and crashing, add up elevator
by bending the back edges of the wings up a little.
If you nd your plane is stalling, you may have added too much up
elevator. Flatten the back edges of the wings. The more you bend the elevator up, the slower the plane will
y. With proper adjustments you can make it oat through the air. Reduce the amount of up elevator for fast ights. Every airplane is different, so it will probably take a few adjustments and throws to ntune your plane to y at the speed you want. Left and Right Most paper airplanes have a tendency to turn to
the right or left when they are rst thrown. This can be xed by ad justing the rudder of the plane. On
the rudder to the right. Likewise,
if you want your plane to go left, bend the rudder to the left. Throwing the Planes Now that you have your elevators and rudder adjusted, you’re ready to send your plane soaring. A good
ight requires a good throw. The rst thing to do is get a good grip on your plane. For most planes, your best bet is to pinch the body
(fuselage) toward the front, using your thumb and pointer nger. (The Robo-Chopper, Dragon Ring, and Glider all use different throws; they’re described in the folding sections for those planes.) The kind of throw you use depends on how you’ve adjusted your plane. If your plane is set to y slowly (if you’ve added up elevator), hold the plane just in front of your shoulder and gently toss it forward and slightly downward. If your plane is set to y fast (you haven’t added much up elevator), also hold the plane in front of your shoul der but throw it quickly forward. Be
most paper airplanes, the rudder is the back edge of the body (or fuse -
sure to aim a little past your target. The World Record Throw The key to getting a paper airplane
lage). To adjust it, use your ngers
to y for a long time is to get it
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
high in the air—at least 50 feet high for a world record—so it has time to oat down slowly. The way to get a paper airplane 50 feet in
Throw your plane normally a
few times, adjusting it as needed to make sure it’s ying slowly and straight. When it ies well, begin
the air is to throw it straight up at 60 miles an hour. This requires a strong arm. I developed my throw by working out with weights and using what I had learned in a class
throwing a little harder and a little
on biomechanics, the science of
throw your airplane as close to straight up as you can. You can try
how the body works like a ma-
chine. My throw is a combination of a baseball throw, with a few other movements thrown in. It’s not a
natural throw at rst, but you can get used to it.
more upward. Don’t be afraid to try different adjustments to the eleva tors or rudder to make it y better. When you’re happy with its ight,
FAST FACT Early airplanes were made of wood and fabric. For the last 60 years, airplanes have been made of aluminum. Airplanes of the future may be made of lightweight, high-strength plastics called “composites.”
to throw it like I do by following the pictures here. If you nd this difcult, don’t worry; just throw your plane as high in the air as you can. My throw, which I developed over
many years, is the best way for me Give it a Try To attempt a world record throw, you need a large room
to throw planes. You may develop your own throwing technique.
with a very high ceiling (such as a gym or auditorium) and a World Re cord Paper Airplane. It’s also handy
If you have a stopwatch, write
to have a stopwatch and a pencil and paper to record your times.
down your best times and compare
them with your friends’ ight times.
FAST FACT The earliest known ying devices were kites made from paper over 2,000 years ago.
ELEVATOR EXPERIMENT Make a paper airplane (the Count or the Pirate’s Secret would be good) and throw it without adjusting the elevators. See how it ies. Now bend the elevators up a little and throw it again. Adjust the plane until you get a smooth ight. Keep bending the elevators up and notice how this makes the plane y more slowly. Eventually, the elevators will be bent up so much that the plane will stall because it is trying to y too slowly. The amount of up elevator that makes this happen is dierent for every plane.
The Basic Dart
The Basic Square
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
SettingUpaPaperAirplaneContest by Rick Romano
hen you’re ying paper air planes with friends, it’s only
W
natural that you’ll want to see who has the best plane and who is the
best ier. What starts out as casual throwing can easily turn into an
informal paper airplane contest. Contests are fun because they not only challenge you to do your best, but also compare your skills with
your friends’, which can help you improve your techniques. They’re easy to organize, and can be as
formal or informal as you want. Here are guidelines for setting up two different types of contests—distance and time aloft. You need only two people for a contest, but it’s fun to have more. I think three to six is ideal. That means
there are enough people for a good competition, but not so many
that the event gets confusing. DISTANCE CONTESTS The challenge here is to see who can throw his or her plane
the farthest. Ideally, you can set up your contest in a large indoor space—that way no one has the
advantage of a sudden wind gust. How far is a good distance ight? Twenty feet is respectable, and thirty feet is a great throw. Fif ty feet will win most adult contests. The world record for indoor ight is almost 200 feet. Good luck! What You Need. Masking tape or rope, paper airplanes, small prizes such as penny candy or stickers
(this is optional). What to Do. Find a place to have your contest and choose a starting
line. Mark it with masking tape (or, if you’re outdoors, a piece of rope). Gymnasiums are great places for distance contests, as are long hall-
ways and big rooms. If you can’t nd a big enough indoor space, outside is OK, too. Just choose a day that’s not too windy. Fold your planes. You can ask everybody to use the same model, or let people choose their own. Make sure everyone puts his or her name on the plane. Let everybody make a few practice throws. Then, when everyone is ready, have each participant stand behind the starting line and make
an ofcial throw. Leave all the planes where they land until every-
one has thrown. The one farthest from the starting line is the winner. If you have time for another round
How many seconds is a long
ight? Five seconds doesn’t sound long, but is a good ight. Ten seconds is very difcult—consid er yourself an expert if you can get near that. I had to train with
weights and practice for years to achieve my world record ight of 18.8 seconds. What You Need. Stopwatch, pencil or pen and paper, paper airplanes, small prizes such as penny candy
or stickers (this is optional). What to Do. Find a place to have your contest. You need a big room with tall ceilings—a gymnasium
would be good—if you’re going to have it inside, or a big open area
or two, ask each person to mark where his or her plane landed
if you’re going to be outside. As
with a piece of tape (or a stone or twig, if you’re outdoors), and throw again. See if all the contestants can improve their ights.
better—it means that no one faces
Tips for Winning. Use a pointed-nose plane like the Slice or the Count. Small adjustments are the secret to making a good paper airplane into a great one. Make sev-
hard to nd, so you’ll likely have
eral short throws and, after each one, adjust your plane to improve
its ight. Try to make it y straight (bend the rudder as needed) and fast (you will need very little up elevator). If the contest rules allow it, add a paper clip to the nose of your plane. Your best-bet distance throw is one that’s hard and angled a little up. TIME ALOFT CONTESTS
This is my favorite kind of contest. The goal is to keep your plane in the
air for the greatest amount of time. You will need a plane that oats well and you should know how to
ne-tune and adjust it. It’s a test of both your paper airplane-making
skills and your ying ability.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
in distance contests, indoors is an advantage or disadvantage
from the wind or thermals. But a large enough indoor space can be to make do with outside. Choose a day that’s calm. Gather supplies that you need and get all your contestants together. They can make their planes on the spot, or you can ask them to
bring their planes already folded. Decide in advance if they can use any plane they want or must all use the same model. Let everyone make several practice throws and give each time to adjust their planes. Choose one person to be the timer and another to be the judge for all but their own throws (some one else can time and record their throws). The timer uses the stop -
watch to time each ight, and the judge writes down the name of the contestant and the number of seconds the timer calls out. The timer should start the stopwatch
as soon as the thrower lets go of
the plane and stop it as soon as
the plane lands (or hits something). The judge tells each person when he or she can make a throw.
Have everyone make one ofcial throw. The person with the lon-
gest-lasting ight wins the round. It’s fun to have a few rounds. If af ter a few rounds, two people tie for rst place or have very close times, you can have a runoff between them. The person with the longest
ight of the day wins the contest.
Tips for Folding Paper Airplanes THE COUNT The Count is a ghoulishly good
glider. It’s a type of dart, but has
that it’s an excellent secret messen-
more paper in the nose. This gives
ger. Write a private note to a friend at the X on the back, then fold the
it extra stability, making it ideal for long, straight ights. It’s also good for precision ying. With a little practice, you can use it to make
pinpoint landings. The Count ies best if you add a little up eleva tor, but be careful not to add too
TIPS FOR WINNING Not surprisingly, I think the
much—this plane is very sensitive to elevator adjustments. And remember not to let the vampire out
World Record Paper Airplane is the best plane to use, the Pirate’s
after the sun goes down!
Secret, the Aerobat, and the Count
stay aloft well, too. Fly them all before the contest and see which works best for you. Adjust your plane to y slowly—use quite a bit of up elevator, but not so much that it makes the plane “porpoise” up and down. Throw your plane hard and up. Some planes do best
if you throw them straight up; oth ers work better if you bank them (tilt their wings to one side) and
But the best part of this plane is
plane up and send it on its way. THE SLICE
I think you will like the avor of this paper airplane. It’s a classic dart
(you’ve probably made something similar before). It is easy to fold, looks good, and ies well, too (es pecially if you add a little up eleva tor). It’s excellent for long-distance ights and ights requiring accura -
PIRATE’S SECRET
cy. Try slipping a paper clip over the
Don’t let the square shape fool you; this plane will out-glide most
nose to create an extra-stable fast ier. And don’t let anyone take a bite out of your plane!
pointed-nose paper planes and is
just as fast. In fact, it’s one of the best-ying paper planes you will nd anywhere. It is as good at stunts as it is at distance and accuracy. If you want to perform stunts, make sure to use a lot of up elevator.
throw them not quite straight up.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FoldingtheSlice
1
2
Fold plane in half along
3
Fold in along lines 2 and 3.
Fold in along lines 3 and 4.
center, line 5, and reopen.
4
5
Fold plane in half along center, line 5.
6
Fold one wing down along line 6.
7
Flip plane over and fold the other wing up along line 7.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Open plane and fold wing tips up along lines 8 and 9.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FoldingthePirate’sSecret
1 Fold up along line 1 to line 2.
2
3
Fold along line 2 to line 3.
Fold along line 3 to line
4, and continue folding through line 8.
4
Flip plane over and fold in half along line 9.
6
Flip plane over and fold the other wing down along line 11.
5
Fold one wing up along line 10.
7
Make sure the wings form a slight “Y” shape with the body.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FoldingtheCount
1
2
Fold the plane in half
3
Fold in along lines 1 and 2.
Fold up along line 3.
along center, line 7, then reopen the plane.
4
5
Fold in along lines 4 and 5.
Fold point down along line 6.
6
Fold the plane in half along center, line 7.
7
8
Fold one wing down along line 8.
Flip the plane over and
fold the other wing down along line 9.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
9 Make sure the wings form a slight “Y” shape with the body.
6
8
9
7
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
1
2
3
4
5
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
TheClassicDart This is without doubt the best known of all paper airplanes, probably because its simplicity and beauty have no equal. If you have never folded paper before, this is the best design to start with providing you take your time. If you know how to make it, try to fold slowly and produce the neatest example you have ever made. As with all airplanes that have a sharp nose, it is a good idea to cut a small section o to make it safe when throwing. The eect this has on the ight pattern will be negligible. Start with a rectangle, colored side down. Fold in half width-wise and open.
1
2
3
Lift each corner and fold it to
Narrow by taking the folded edges (made in step 1) to
Mountain fold in half. You may nd it easier to turn the paper over and make a valley fold.
meet the center crease. Make sure it lines up exactly.
4
meet the center crease. Try to keep the upper point sharp.
5
Narrow still further by folding each of the two folded edg -
6
Open the wings up to 90 degrees.
The Classic Dart nished.
es to the right hand vertical edge. Turn the paper round so it is horizontal.
FLYING HINTS: Launch the dart rmly at a slight upward angle. You may need to adjust the angle of the wings (dihedral) for the best results. Thrown properly, it will y for more than 30 ft. (10 m). Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
BuildingtheClassicGlider The design of this plane is traditional, but the clever triangular “lock” was made popular by the eminent Japanese designer of paper airplanes, Eiji Nakamura. Whereas the classic dart is designed for fast ight, this design concentrates a lot of layers at the front to provide weight and hence stability. Start with a sheet of A4 colored side down.
2
1 Fold the two long sides
together., crease rmly and open to form the vertical center crease.
Fold two corners in to lie along the center crease. Try to make the edges lie exactly along the crease.
3 Bring the top corner downward to touch a point a short
distance from the lower edge. Note that the valley crease does not lie along the inside
edges formed in the last step.
5
4 Repeat step 2 with the
upper folded edge. The corners do not meet the inside corner, but leave a
6
Fold the small triangle upward to hold the two corners together. This stops these aps from com -
Use the center crease to mountain
ing loose during ight.
paper over on the table and make a
triangular ap sticking out.
fold the paper in half behind. You can fold this in the air, or turn the valley fold. Rotate the paper to the position shown in the next step.
8
7 Fold the rst upper ap downward
Open both wings to 90 degrees
to lie along the lower edge. Don’t atten until you are sure the edg es are neatly lined up. Repeat on the other side.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
9 The Classic Glider ready for ight.
FLYING HINTS: Launch slowly and with moderate strength for a superbly stable ight-path. Alter the angle of the wings if i dives too quickly. Try dierent angles of attack for aerobatic stunts.
Launching position
View from below
Top view
America the Beautiful
Letʼs use natural resources to power our future.
This magazine is printed on paper made from sustainable forests.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
BuildingtheFlyingSaucer Although ying saucers are generally circular, we can make an impressive version using a square. This is easily converted into an octagon, then into a heptagon as we make the paper three-dimensional. All the creases are easily located, providing you take your time. Because it is launched with a spin, this design uses gyroscopic principles rather than those of conventional paper airplanes. The design was inspired by a saucer made from a circular piece of paper. Please note: This is an advanced paper airplane model. If you have trouble folding it, try one of the simpler models and work your way up in difculty.
1
2
3
Making sure the crease passes through the center
Repeat step 1 to the right-
of the paper, take the lower
…like this. Pre-crease the corner along the deges in front (valleys) and below (mountains).
center-point to lie along the
Open the paper back out.
hand side and unfold.
upper left diagonal…
4
5
6
This is the crease pattern so far.
Fold each corner to the creases made in step 2, then over
The paper should now be octagonal in shape. Fold the
again using the crease itself.
center of each edge to the
Turn the paper over.
center point, but only crease between either adjacent di-
Repeat step 1 twice more using the location marks shown to complete the radial creases.
agonals before opening. Turn over again.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Start with a brightly colored piece of paper, the heavier the better; you might even use thin card stock. Foil-backed paper also works very well. From the white side, crease in half and from corner to corner both ways. Make all these folds valleys and keep it white side up. FLYING HINTS Laundh the saucer like a frisbee, trying to impart as much spin as pos sible at the launch by “icking” your wrist. Raise the opposite edge to your hand upward slightly.
-
7
8
9
Fold each edge to the “spoke”
Make one crease into a mountain, then pleat it sideways,
Lock the pleat by folding the
raising the sides of the paper to form a central hollow. The
folding over using the diagonal.
creases you have just made, creasing again only between
the diagonals. Then unfold.
outer edge to the diagonal, then
paper is three dimensional
from here onward.
10
11 It came from outer space!
Lift the paper up an dgently press it into shape using the creases you have made. Go
slowly and try not to force the paper. Turn the paper over; it should match the prole below.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
FoldingtheBoomerang Boomerangs are beautifully curved pieces of wood, but we can make a working version from a rectangle of paper. This design is dierent from all the others because very crease is at 45 or 90 degrees. The sequence is logical and ecient if you crease accurately.
1
2
3
Fold each short edge over a
Take each corner of the folded
little way, crease rmly and unfold. Fold the paper in half from left to right.
edge to meet the outside quarter crease and return. Open the paper back out.
Fold the upper long edge to the lower.
4
5
6
Pre-crease a valley.
Then make an inside reverse
Using established creases (you
fold using the crease you have
will need to alter the direction
just made.
of a few) swing the right hand ap to the left., raising a small triangular ap.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
This boomerang uses a 2:1 rectangle (half a square), but it will work from other similar rectangles, such as bank checks. The paper needs to be crisp, but not too thick. Start with the colored side down and crease the short side into quarters.
7
8
9
Fold the quarter ap under -
Repeat step 6 on this side, again raising a small
Tuck the upper layer within,
triangular ap.
inside. The next three steps
neath, tucking the top end inside the triangular pocket. Turn the paper over.
unfolding the triangular ap show an enlargement of the circled area.
10
Fold the left corner to the crease (made in step 1) and unfold.
11
12
Mountain fold the small strip
This is the result.
underneath, allowing the
corner to fold in naturally on established creases.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
13
14
Fold the layer within.
Lock the end by tucking the
small ap within the closed pocket. It is easiest to start with the square end, then the angled
15
Then repeat steps 13 and 14, locking the other end.
end. Flatten rmly. Turn over.
16
Then repeat steps 13 and 14 locking the other end.
The Boomerang, nished, ready for launch.
BOOMERANG FLYING HINTS Although the folding was (I hope) straightforward, the launching will take a bit of practice. Turn your left hand palm up and line up one side of the Boomerang with your third and fourth ngers. Move your rst nger over to hold it in position, then slide the rst nger of your other hand along the edge of your little nger, striking the Boomerang smartly but smoothly. You may need to angle the wing upward slightly. Depending on the force and accuracy of contact, the Boomerang will y forward then start to fall back toward you. Adjust the angle of launch so that you can catch it. Launching into a slight breeze will help, but you need to work on the launch to perfect it. If like Charlie Drake your “boomerang won’t come back”, keep trying; the joy of catching it before it lands is well worth the eort! Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012