How to make a good paper airplane - Science of Paper planes

Paper airplanes have been around since most people’s childhood. From passing notes in class to contests to see whose plane can fly the farthest, this easy craft is both fun and scientific. But how to make the perfect paper airplane? In today’s blog, we attempt to answer that question as well as look into the science behind what makes these planes fly.

How to make a paper airplane?

Here are some tips and tricks to fold a successful paper airplane that can help you learn how to make a paper airplane and give them a successful flight.

Choosing the right material

The primary step is to select the right material. You want your plane to be big enough to take off, but not so big that it loses speed easily. The best material is a stiffer A4 or Letter size paper such as copy or colored paper. It provides sufficient durability while still being relatively light.

Different types of paper airplane

There are different types of aircraft you can choose to build – each providing unique features and construction difficulties.

Easy Planes:

Basic: You’ve probably done this before, as it’s a more common aircraft type. It has more “airtime” than any other vessel in this difficulty.
Darts: These are like the regular paper airplane we used to make but they are great for covering distances.
Stabilizer: Rounding out this difficulty, The Stable is the more acrobatic of the easy ones.

Medium Planes:

The list of planes here is great for covering Maximum distances.

Hummer: Thanks to the large wingspan, this plane stays in the air for a decent amount of time.

Scamper: The Sprinter looks very similar to a real airplane and is very aerobatic.

Harder Planes:

Airplanes with this difficulty are the hardest to assemble, but they are great in that they spend more time flying than falling.

Heavy diver: With a lot of weight up front, this plane will fly quite a distance.

Floater: These aircraft favor a wingspan that makes them very aerobatic.

Basic Dart Plane Instructions:

Let’s live out our aesthetic dreams of an airplane and make an airplane that is easy to fold and flies a decent distance!

Fold your piece of paper in half. Expand to see the line you just created.
Fold the upper corners to the center line.
Now fold the top edges to the center.
Fold the plane in half.
Fold the wings down to meet the lower edge of the aircraft body.
Wow! Now you are ready to roll.

The science behind paper airplanes

The purpose of a paper airplane to fly with better aerodynamic characteristics is that It is how the air around you interacts with objects passing through it. The shape of the paper airplane must contend with: drag, gravity, lift forces, and thrust. This is being called the science behind paper airplanes and every aircraft aspirant need to know this fact.

Drag has to do with the wings of the aircraft reacting against the movement of the air.

Gravity is resisted by drag.

Lift forces, such as drag, have to do with the movement of air in relation to the structure of the aircraft.

Thrust is the auxiliary pressure we give the airplane to get airborne.

Try playing around with the different folds of the plane to see what aerodynamics you can play with!