Introduction: Hangtime! Paper Airplane
Throw it up high and time it as it comes back down! With a gentle breeze this plane can regularly reach flight times of 15-25 seconds! Sweet!
This was my favorite plane design as a kid; as an adult I'm still tempted to go out and play with this one. Maybe I will...
This was my favorite plane design as a kid; as an adult I'm still tempted to go out and play with this one. Maybe I will...
Step 1: The Beginning
Start off with a single sheet of standard paper
- fold the top right corner over to the left side of the paper, as pictured
- unfold and do the same operation on the top left corner
- unfold and flip the paper over
- fold the top right corner over to the left side of the paper, as pictured
- unfold and do the same operation on the top left corner
- unfold and flip the paper over
Step 2: The Button...
Now that the paper is flipped:
- fold the top section of the paper horizontally at the exact crossing point of the two previous folds
- unfold and flip the paper once more
- press the button! (as pictured)
- fold the paper so the horizontal side fold m eets in the center and the top of the paper folds downwards. You will end up with something like the picture below!
- fold the top section of the paper horizontally at the exact crossing point of the two previous folds
- unfold and flip the paper once more
- press the button! (as pictured)
- fold the paper so the horizontal side fold m eets in the center and the top of the paper folds downwards. You will end up with something like the picture below!
Step 3: Diversify
At this point we need to shift the mass of the plane towards the front.
- fold the top section of the large triangle at 45 degrees to meet with the front tip of the plane
- unfold and do something funky with the tips. I like to cross them, experiment and come up with your own step here!
- fold the top section of the large triangle at 45 degrees to meet with the front tip of the plane
- unfold and do something funky with the tips. I like to cross them, experiment and come up with your own step here!
Step 4: Give It Wings
- flip the plane over and fold the nose down towards the back of the plane
- flip it again and fold the whole thing in half lengthwise
- gently fold down the wings; I like to make the fuselage small and the wing large
- flip it again and fold the whole thing in half lengthwise
- gently fold down the wings; I like to make the fuselage small and the wing large
Step 5: Horns!
- add rear stabilizers by folding a bit of the wing edge upwards
- add horns to the front section, thats right, this plane has horns! YEAH!
- add horns to the front section, thats right, this plane has horns! YEAH!
Step 6: Precision Ailerons
not precise at all
just rip two small tears in the rear of the wing and you can adjust the flight pattern.
adjust these so that when thrown straight and level at a slow speed, it will glide gently without nosediving - at a higher speed, it will pull up and then crash.
make one aileron slightly higher than the other, or bend the stabilizers slightly to promote a slow turn to the right or left - a turning plane generally will stay aloft longer and not travel as far
just rip two small tears in the rear of the wing and you can adjust the flight pattern.
adjust these so that when thrown straight and level at a slow speed, it will glide gently without nosediving - at a higher speed, it will pull up and then crash.
make one aileron slightly higher than the other, or bend the stabilizers slightly to promote a slow turn to the right or left - a turning plane generally will stay aloft longer and not travel as far
Step 7: Launch It!
congratulations, you now have my secret airplane formula, that was previously a secret from everyone!
I spent many afternoons with friends, paper airplanes and a stopwatch...
go out and launch it by throwing it nearly straight up and as high as you can. It should stabilize and descend slowly making a wide circle
if you are lucky and the conditions are right, you will be rewarded with a 10+ second flight
good luck! =)
I spent many afternoons with friends, paper airplanes and a stopwatch...
go out and launch it by throwing it nearly straight up and as high as you can. It should stabilize and descend slowly making a wide circle
if you are lucky and the conditions are right, you will be rewarded with a 10+ second flight
good luck! =)