
	Competitions
	Maximum distance: To win this competition, fly your plane the farthest! Spot landing: To win this competition, land your plane closest to the target! Time aloft: To win this competition, keep your plane in the air the longest (time)! Stunt flyer: To win this competition, your plane must do the most tricks, ie. number of revolutions! Race to the finish: To win this competition, fly your plane over the finish line first! The Estimator: To win this competition, estimate how far your plane will go - three flights each for distance, estimate the distance that your plane flies on the last 2 flights. The person who estimates the closest, having the least total error, wins this one! So, how do you find planes that perform the best? First you need to know a little about flying paper airplanes. Read on…..
So What's to Know???
There are four forces that determine whether or not an airplane will fly. These are (1) GRAVITY - Gravity tends to pull an airplane to the earth when it is in flight. In order for an airplane to become airborne and to stay in the air, it must create a lifting force greater than the pull of gravity. (or weight, the downward acting force) (2) LIFT - Lift is created by a change of air pressure around the airplane's wing. When an airplane is on the ground, the air pressure above and below the wing is the same. As the airplane begins move, the pressure changes. The faster it goes, the greater the lift beneath its wings. When the air pressure beneath the wings becomes greater than the weight of the airplane, the airplane takes off. Lift occurs only if the airplane is moving forward in the air. (the upward acting force) (3) DRAG – Before the airplane can become airborne, thrust must overcome drag and lift must overcome the weight during take off. In level flight at constant speed, thrust exactly equals drag and lift exactly equals the weight or gravity force. For landings thrust must be reduced below the level of drag and lift below the level of the gravity force or weight. (the air resistance or backward acting force) (4) THRUST - An engine is needed to provide the thrust for forward motion. Propellers and jet engines are used to increase the thrust. Enough thrust must be generated to oppose the drag. (the forward acting force) These four forces are continuously battling each other while an airplane is in flight. To read more about how an airplane flies, visit these websites:
How Things Fly How Airplanes Fly What makes an Airplane Fly How Airplanes Work Info on Aerodynamics
So much for how they work… HOW DO I MAKE A PAPER AIRPLANE?
Enough reading....let's try to fold a paper airplane called The Deltry Paper Airplane Go to this website and follow the directions to make your very own Deltry Paper Airplane. Make sure to read the important information about how to make it fly! Did you notice how many sets of congruent triangles and parallel lines you made when you folded your airplane? Make sure to put your name on your plane and label each with the name of the airplane. Then, give it a test flight!! Now that you've got some experience, try some others. Another plane to try is the PL-4 Hybrid. The websites below contain directions to make many different kinds of airplanes. Make sure to put your name on your plane and label each with the name of the airplane. Make sure to put your names on them and label each with the name of the airplane. Paper Airplane Websites Aex's Paper Airplanes – http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/planes.html Gliders - Paper airplanes to glide through the air. Quick Fliers - Great, fast flying paper airplanes. Unusual paper airplanes - Unusual and fun. Favourites - My absolute favorite paper airplanes. Amazing Paper Airplanes from Kyong H. Lee - http://www.amazingpaperairplanes.com/ The paper airplanes presented in this web page include my old favorites as well as new designs that I recently created for my grandson Jonathan. Best Paper Airplanes - http://www.bestpaperairplanes.com/ Ten unique folded paper airplanes that you'll find nowhere else - because these ten models are original, copyrighted designs. There is even a voice tutorial available here! Build the Best Paper Airplane in the world - http://www.zurqui.co.cr/crinfocus/paper/airplane.html How Airplanes Work - http://travel.howstuffworks.com/airplane9.htm How Gliders Work - http://travel.howstuffworks.com/glider.htm Jline Paper Airplanes - http://www.freehomepages.com/jline/planelist.html 11 planes with directions so that you can make them Joseph Palmer’s Paper Planes - http://www.josephpalmer.com/planes/Airplane.shtml Mr. Palmer gives you directions for planes that fly…they are each made from a single piece of 8.5” x 11” piece of paper – no cutting, no weights, no glue. Mcshane’s Planes - http://www.mcshane.org/planes/ 6 planes to make: Old Faithful, Lecture Dart, Bucket Plane, Japanese Flyer, F15, and Slow Plane. Paper Airplanes by Paul Doherty with Illustrations by Stephanie Syjuco - http://www.exploratorium.edu/exploring/paper/airplanes.html A few folds, a couple of adjustments, and you have a superb paper flyer. Paper Airplane Flight Simulator - http://www.workman.com//fliersclub/ Roto Copter - http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/roto-copter.html This one spins through the air like a mini-helicopter. Spinning Blimps - http://www.exploratorium.edu/science_explorer/spinning_blimps.html Make a blimp that spins through the air. It's really simple to make more blimps and experiment with changes in the basic blimp design. Sabertooth Paper Airplane - http://www.geocities.com/chouhung/saber.html Sabreteeth Paper Airplanes - http://ravykumar.netfirms.com/ All of the models described in this site are my own creations. There are instructions for six planes- Sabre-ravi; Square-sabre; Sabre-arrow; Sabre-tang; Sabre-uno; and sabre-sharp. Ultimate Origami Airplanes - http://kefi.hp.infoseek.co.jp/5151/index.html 11 different origami models to choose from! Nice pictures to help you fold them!
How to fly a Paper Airplane!
Once you've folded and fine-tuned a plane, the first thing you'll want to do is send it soaring. A good flight requires a good throw, and this requires practice. The type of throw you use depends on the kind of flying you want to do and, to some degree, on what type of plane you have. Your plane can have a slow flight, fast flight, and high flying. All throws require a comfortable, secure grip on the plane, normally using the thumb and forefinger. Hold the plane on the bottom, near the front. SLOW FLIGHT is when a paper airplane glides slowly and steadily at a slight downward angle. The launching technique for slow flight begins with the paper airplane in front of the shoulder. Push the airplane forward and slightly downward (most people want to throw upward). Throw gently but firmly. The correct throwing speed will make a coin travel 10 feet across the floor when thrown from adult shoulder height (about 6 feet for a child). FAST FLYING is when the plane flies fast and straight like an arrow. The best planes for this type of flying are the Basic Dart (see the WORLD RECORD PAPER AIRPLANE BOOK for an example) and other similar-looking planes. Hold your plane in front of your shoulder for short throws (up to 15 feet), or above your shoulder for longer flights. Throw the plane gently and level for shorter distance, faster and a little upward for longer ones. HIGH THROWING, the kind used to break the world record, requires a powerful launch. Obviously, the World Record Paper Airplane is well suited for a hard throw, but many other square designs can be thrown this way as well. The airplane will go up a long way, so you will need a high ceiling if you are not outdoors. Adjust the airplane so that a gentle throw results in a smooth, slowly turning flight. Then, throw the airplane as hard as you can straight up. If it flies properly, it will spiral up, level off, and glide slowly in a large gentle turn. You will most likely have to make several planes before you get some that you are satisfied with. Remember to adjust the plane to glide well with just a gentle throw.

Now that you have a flying plane, you can use it to see the roles that paper plays in its construction. After the kinetic energy (that is, the energy you put into it by throwing it) of the initial throw has dissipated, paper planes are gliders powered by gravity. As the plane falls, its wings deflect air backward and down, providing thrust and lift. Paper makes a good wing because it's impermeable to air: In a single sheet of paper, multiple layers of interlocked fibers prevent air from flowing through. In contrast, a hole-filled screen from a back door would not make a very good wing.	Tips on Flying Paper Airplanes - It's a Balancing Act
Now that you have some planes, you need to start collecting data to determine which plane to fly in each competition....	Testing - Day 1 - Distance, Distance, Distance! what to do/data to collect/charts to complete! Testing - Day 2 - Time Aloft and Spot Landing! what to do/data to collect/charts to complete!

The Deltry Paper Airplane Go to this website and follow the directions to make your very own Deltry Paper Airplane. Make sure to read the important information about how to make it fly!

Did you notice how many sets of congruent triangles and parallel lines you made when you folded your airplane?

Make sure to put your name on your plane and label each with the name of the airplane. Then, give it a test flight!!