Indoor Paper Airplane Walkalong Glider

Indoor Paper Airplane Walkalong Glider
What's a walkalong glider? Here's a video of this indoor paper airplane walkalong glider design flown a distance of approximately 400m:


Building and flying your own airplane has always been high on the list of dreams of adventurous souls. Learning to build and fly the indoor paper airplane walkalong glider is a first step, off the grid and constructed from reused materials.

This instructable incorporates improvements on the Paper Airplane Walkalong Glider instructable. The improvements are as follows:

-Lighter paper- phone book paper instead of copier paper for slower speed and increased maneuverability
-Change in dimensions of initial sheet of paper (22cmX27cm) for pitch stability
-Central fold adds dihedral for better maneuverability
-Leading edges folded downward for softer stall characteristics
-Wedge cut out of tail section for reduced tail weight and better pitch stability
-Wedge fold in tail section for increased drag and slower flight

Please see the web page on Controllable Slope Soaring for more walkalong glider designs.
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1Construct Ballast assembly

Construct Ballast assembly
The first step involves cutting out a 22cmX27cm (or equal aspect ratio) rectangle of light paper. Here phone book paper was used but waxed tissue paper works even better. Waxed tissue paper is only slightly heavier than tissue paper but holds it's shape much better. Waxed tissue paper is used by florists because it maintains its shape when wet.

The ratio of dimensions of the rectangle are important for ensuring the correct washout angle in the wingtips (changing the ratio will change the distance between the leading and trailing edges relative to the width of the wingtip).

« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
49 comments
1-40 of 49next »
Jan 25, 2012. 1:17 PMi love aircraft says:
how to turn fast. i only can turn a little bit.
Jan 1, 2012. 12:52 PMHiggs Boson says:
Will the cardboard trick work with any paper airplane glider or does it only work with yours? It doesn't work with a glider I made.
Jan 7, 2012. 10:34 AMHiggs Boson says:
thank you.
Dec 9, 2011. 11:34 PMjpawar says:
why does my glider always falls down????? answer please
Sep 9, 2011. 4:30 PMhernandez101 says:
hey i did the air plane but it did not work, any advices
Aug 20, 2011. 2:11 AMhocngiap says:
this is simply amazing
Jun 30, 2011. 5:43 AMknexmaster12 says:
why in the flying video does he have cardboard in his hands?
Jun 20, 2010. 11:07 AMmr BT says:
Where did you have 0.4km of hallway to fly this thing? I have three guesses. 1. the tunnels under the US Capitol Complex connecting Congress and office buildings to the Library of Congress, etc. 2. The Pentagon, 3. A particle accelerator. Am I close? BTW - my glider flies great. The plans were excellent. Thanks!
May 19, 2011. 6:43 PMtqwerty says:
City Hall! duh... XD
Jun 21, 2010. 1:58 PMApplebohn says:
I bet it's in some university
Jun 21, 2010. 7:36 AMThoth says:
I think it maybe the the Infinite Corridor that runs under the buildings at M.I.T.
Jun 20, 2010. 11:53 AMEpimetheus says:
Looks like a dorm ~~
Jun 23, 2010. 3:42 AMyztay says:
looks like a good way to keep in shape ;)
Jun 21, 2010. 8:30 AMJohnJY says:
I built it, but just can't get the plane to fly right. And when I mean fly right I fly at all. Oh well.
Jun 20, 2010. 10:40 PMMARIUSBMX says:
Oh! This is so cool, congratulations dude!!! I love the application of fluid mechanics in your airplane :P, plus I made one and it's so fun to chase it around my house :D.
Jun 20, 2010. 12:09 PMJaif14 says:
Cool. Similar to the one at sciencetoymaker.com
Jun 20, 2010. 9:35 PMkill1234 says:
Not really. This is like an airplane while the sciencetoymaker one is like a glider.
Jun 20, 2010. 6:33 PMculepet says:
maybe better or great if could fly outdoor hehe ^_^
Jun 20, 2010. 4:19 PMHelder4u says:
Fascinating, seems You are very intelligent. Should work with the real big stuff!
Jun 20, 2010. 1:31 PMaty says:
Great !!! TNX !
Jun 20, 2010. 10:50 AMzanethebrain says:
haha this is cool!
Jun 20, 2010. 7:20 AMLandMime says:
Good job, Man!
Jun 19, 2010. 9:17 AMhappybirthday says:
Wow, I made it and it works very well.
May 23, 2010. 7:13 PMShredder543 says:
Mine does a nose-dive when I start it.  What am I doing wrong?
May 19, 2010. 6:00 PMspartan711 says:
 Awsome
Sep 7, 2009. 10:24 AMcantrell8 says:
Wow 5stars!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aug 18, 2009. 8:24 PMJ@50n says:
when you go "after" it with cardboard, do you run walk or fast walk? just curious.
Aug 20, 2009. 11:49 AMJ@50n says:
thanks!
May 9, 2009. 10:35 AMSyaoran4500 says:
beastly
May 7, 2009. 6:32 PMcarlwylde says:
You are great, Thanx :D
Apr 30, 2009. 7:13 PMsysproo says:
hi, it's a great work :) i'll do it too
Apr 13, 2009. 1:15 AMYour Average Guy says:
Crazy Dude! These things must fly forever if you can keep up! I am going to have to try this! All i have to say is wow!... Yeah...
Apr 12, 2009. 4:25 PMyegotardo says:
Great! i did it! thankss !
Apr 4, 2009. 2:03 PMunbentcrayfish says:
Why do you carry the cardboard along with you in your first video, it looks fishy to me. But cool anyway!
Mar 31, 2009. 7:11 PMWesley666 says:
you can make ones out of balsa wood or Styrofoam and use them outside without cardboard. You just walk behind them. Check them out on the net. Nice Instructable.
1-40 of 49next »

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
60
Followers
11
Author:walkalongaviation