Fold Some Paper, You’ve Got a Plane

Perhaps even before aviation existed people have been making paper airplanes. They use a simple construction technique that can be done by hand without tools – folding. The number of paper airplane designs are limited only by the maker’s imagination. Some planes will look great but fly badly, while others will fly well but not look much like any type of commercial jetliner. Here are some basic instructions on how to make paper airplanes.

What You Will Need

– Some paper. Ordinary business sized 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch paper is suggested because it is readily available and makes a decent sized plane. Its basic dimensions, in which the paper is longer than it is wide, also lend themselves to the shape of airplanes.

While nothing else is required, there are some optional additions you may want to use. They will allow you to make a fancier looking plane or one that will hold together better. – cellophane tape – paints – markers – crayons – cardboard box – thread spools – cardboard roll from paper towel or bathroom tissue – cardboard – scissors

Plane Building Basics

Take an 8-1/2 inch by 11 inch sheet of paper and fold it in half lengthwise. Open the paper up.

Fold down the top two corners toward the inside of the paper. Make the edges of the paper meet the center fold.

Fold down the sides of the paper again, so the edges of the fold meet each other in the center. Fold the sides in again one more time. Open the paper so the wings created by folding stand up along the plane’s edges. Now the plane is ready to fly.

Launch the plane by holding it in one hand with your fingers in the center of the bottom of the plane. If you are satisfied with the plane’s flying performance, you can tape the folded paper into position so it won’t unfold itself as it flies.

Airplane Decoration

Wondering how to make paper airplanes special? You can paint or draw pictures on the paper before you fold it. Consider making an entire fleet of decorated airplanes. This decorated fleet can be put in a cardboard box designed to serve as an aircraft hangar. Use thread spools or cut cardboard rolls to create pipes and fittings in the hangar. Cap the rolls with pieces of round cardboard to look like hatchways and pipes.

Learn More Online

If you want to learn more about how to make paper airplanes, there are many websites online with detailed illustrated instructions. Here is one that provides links to many other sites with instructions on how to make paper airplanes:

www.airplane-collectible-best-net-resource.com/paper-airplane.html