How to Make a Paper Airplane

A paper plane, paper aeroplane (UK), paper airplane (US), paper glider, paper dart or dart is a toy aircraft, usually a glider made out of paper or paperboard; the practice of constructing paper planes is sometimes referred to as aerogami (Japanese: kamihikōki), after origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.
The origin of folded paper gliders is generally considered to be of Ancient China, although there is equal evidence that the refinement and development of folded gliders took place in equal measure in Japan. Certainly, manufacture of paper on a widespread scale took place in China 500 BCE, and origami and paper folding became popular within a century of this period, approximately 460-390 BCE. It is impossible to ascertain where and in what form the first paper aircraft were constructed, or even the first paper plane's form.

Step 1: Supplies

- 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of paper

Step 2: Step One

Lay the piece of paper on a flat surface and fold vertically in half.

Step 3: Step Two

Open the paper back up and fold the top two corners inward so that they meet along the crease.

Step 4: Step Three

Fold the point, made from the two sides folded inward toward each other, down to the middle crease.

Step 5: Step Four

Fold the two corners toward the crease so that only the points of each corner are touching.

Step 6: Step Five

Fold the point under the two points up to secure the two flaps.

Step 7: Step Six

Fold the paper in half along the crease so that all the folds are facing outwards.

Step 8: Step Seven

Fold both side flaps down so that the wings are perfectly aligned with the bottom of the airplane.

Step 9: Step Eight

Unfold the wings slightly so that they are perpendicular to the body of the airplane and form a flat surface next to each other.