How to Make a Paper Airplane. Written and designed in one afternoon.

1. 05/14/2012
A Guide:
Basic Paper Airplane Construction
J. M. Van Orsdol
For
Traver Connect / XPS USA

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Table of Contents:
 Preliminary Notes
 Materials
 Location Preparation
 Colors and Symbols Guide
 Creation Steps by Paper Folding
 Flight Preparation
Disclaimer:
Improper construction and / or flight of the herein detailed ‘Basic Paper Airplane’ shall be solely the inherent responsibility of all
outcomes to those utilizing this Guide. This is only a Guide; the Guide does not represent a guarantee in any Paper Airplane
performance. Utilization, proper or improper, of the Basic Paper Airplane resulting in injury to your person, persons, property or
animals is solely the responsibility of the party or parties utilizing this Guide proper or improperly. The Basic Paper Airplane is
restricted from flight indoors, most especially indoors at school. Thus, in no manner or form do the Author or Express Professional
Services retain responsibility to an angry Teacher. Proceeding in the development of the Basic Paper Airplane is done without
association or risks identifiable to the Author or Express Employment Professionals.
This Guide is for Entertainment Purposes Only

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Preliminary Notes:
Due to varying materials, line folding, weight, thickness and unknown production characteristics in each
standards piece of print paper the Basic Paper Airplane will be subject to certain limitations in flight.
Paperclips are made of various metals of varying weight and size.
Paperclip weight is a highly significant design component of the Basic Paper Airplane
This Guide only describes the construction of the Basic Paper Airplane utilizing the least amount of material(s)
possible. This is done to allow simplistic construction; less material(s) components reduces the chances of flight
inefficiency or failure.
Flight of the Basic Paper Airplane is detailed in ‘A Guide: Flying the Basic Paper Airplane’

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Materials:
Paper
 1 Piece of Standard Printing Paper Measuring in Inches at 8.5” Width x 11” Height
 For best results utilize plain matte paper
 Do not utilize gloss paper or notebook paper for best results
Tape:
 Clear Scotch Brand Tape Measuring in Inches at 1” Width x 2” Length
 For best results utilize Scotch Brand
 Clear roll tape will be torn on tape roll dispenser ‘teeth’ or built in tearing mechanism
 Tape piece will be torn in 2 equal 1” inch Lengths (small scissors optional)
Paperclip
 One Standard Flat Metal Paperclip Measuring approximately 1” inch in Length
 The A Frame or Wide Paperclip type is not recommended for basic projects
Desired Paperclip style / type example image:
Location Preparation:
 Locate a stable flat surface
 The flat surface should be larger than your piece of standard paper to fold paper properly
 Clean the flat surface of any debris to ensure your paper will not stick to the surface or gain unwanted
contaminates during the Folding processes
 Lay your paper out to ensure the surface you have chosen is flat and stable
 To begin the most essential steps set your paper in front of you at 11” inches Horizontal
(8.5” Inches Vertical)

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Colors and Symbols Guide:
Edge Markers on Template in Step 1 – Various Colors
Blue Arrow Line: Edges to be aligned
Bi-Directional Black Arrow: Area to pressure Fold to crease paper
Orange Triangular Shapes: Extra Guidance on Areas to be Folded
Blue Triangular Shapes: Extra Guidance on Folded Areas
Scotch tape: Securing the ‘fuselage’

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Creation Steps by Paper Folding
Step 1:
With Template
 Note template points of labels below
 Refer to template points as needed
 Flat on smooth surface

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Step 2:
 Grasp Lower Right Edge of paper
 Align the Lower Right Edge with the Horizontal Top Edge
 Hold aligned edges in place before folding, as will be done in all folding steps

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Step 3:
 Fold the Lower Right Edge to the Top Horizontal Edge
 Ensure a proper fold is created by applying pressure to the full length of the fold
 Apply pressure to the fold until the fold creases the paper permanently
 Note Left Edges remain visible
Step 4:
 Fold Top Right Edge to meet the Horizontal Base Edge

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Step 5:
 Apply pressure to crease the folded Top Horizontal Edge
Step 6: Quick Check
 Unfold your paper to determine if an X pattern has appeared
 If X pattern is present refold and proceed
 If X pattern is not present begin again

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Step 7:
 Position paper to fold the Top Horizontal Edge to align with the Base Horizontal Edge
 Fold will also align Left Top Edge and Lower Left Edge
Step 8
 Align the newly formed front sloped edges as well
 Apply pressure along the folded line until creased

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Step 9:
 Use your Paperclip to determine where you will bend your first ‘wing’
 Place the Paperclip vertically (length wise) on the paper
 The Paperclip will act as an approximate measure for your first wing
 The ‘wing’ fold does not need to be in exacting dimensions
 By carefully aligning the folds and creases the dimensions will be sufficient
Step 10:
 Fold the Top Vertical Edge down using the Paperclip as a guide to height of the ‘fuselage’ or the body
of the Basic Paper Airplane
 Align the paper to the height of the Paperclip
 Fold the paper down
 Remove the Paperclip
 Create your first ‘wing’ by creasing the area you have just folded down

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Step 11:
 Turn the paper over
 Place the Paperclip in position as you did for the first ‘wing’
 Align the paper to the height of the Paperclip
 Fold the paper down
 Remove the Paperclip
 Create your second ‘wing’ by creasing the area you have just folded down

Step 12:
Ensure all creased folds are well aligned
Hold the body or, again, the ‘fuselage’ of the Basic Paper Airplane so the center section can be ‘paper clipped’

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Step 13:
 Caution: Without completing this step your Basic Paper Airplane is unlikely to fly
 Use the Paperclip to hold together the ‘nose’ of the Basic Paper Airplane together
 The Paperclip also provides essential weight for the proper flight of the Basic Paper Airplane
Step 14:
 Push the paperclip firmly to the top of the front of folds
 Adjusting the position of the Paperclip will effect flight characteristics

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Step 15:
 Hold the paper as shown
 Note one ‘wing’ is not securely fastened during the folding processes
 Utilizing 1 of 2 pieces of Scotch tape apply one piece of the tape to the two levels of ‘wing’ paper
 This allows both pieces of paper creating the ‘wing’ to remain firmly together in flight
 Caution: Without completing this step your Basic Paper Airplane is unlikely to fly
Step 16:

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 Utilizing piece 2 of 2 of Scotch tape firmly grasp the back of the Basic Paper Airplane
 Hold the back-end of the ‘fuselage’ (opposite the position of the Paperclip)
 While holding the paper together apply the second piece of Scotch tape to each side of the paper to
secure the body of the Basic Paper Airplane
 The single piece of tape must be secured to each side of the paper.
 Caution: Without completing this step your Basic Paper Airplane is unlikely to fly

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Finished Design:
The Basic Paper Airplane