Introduction: Totally Awesome Paper Airplane
How to build a paper airplane that can really soar, look cool, and impress!!!
Step 1: Foreword + Printout Guide
If you think you may need help deciding where to fold, print out the guide. it is exactly 11" by 8.5".
Print Guide Note : If you cannot print it borderless than format the margin in paint to match your printer margin. For instance my printer prints with a top margin of .12, so since there are 72 pixels per inch and .12 of 72 is 9, subtract 9 pixels from the top and 18 from the bottom. My left margin is .25, so i subtract 18 from the left and 32 from the right. Print Guide Download Link
If you want a cool plane like the one in the intro, print out the decal sheet, it to is exactly 11" by 8.5".
Before you build it here is a small video of some test flights with the second or third one i made.
Step 2: Folds 1 - 3
Terms:
The colored side of the paper is the top face.
The side with the triangle is the top and the other sides are relative to it.
Fold 1:
Turn the paper onto its back side, then fold the the upper left hand corner, down across the paper, forming a right triangle, with two identical sides.
Fold 2:
Open the paper back up, and repeat for the other corner.
Fold 3:
Open the paper up again, and then fold the paper so that the upper left hand corner meets the end of fold 2, and the upper left hand corner meets the end of fold 1.
Step 3: Fold 4
This fold is slightly tricky to do (well) but fold 3 should have helped make this easier.
First make sure the top side of the paper is facing away from you and that the paper is face down.
Bring the left side of fold 3 and the right side of fold 3 together. Now holding the corners, lower them onto the center of the paper. Then crease the left and right sides of the newly formed triangle.
Step 4: Fold 5 + 6
Have the colored face down, so the large triangle made from fold 4 is facing you.
Fold 5 : Fold the lower right hand corner of the triangle up to the top of the triangle. This fold should be across the green line.
Fold 6 : Repeat for the left side, except this time fold along the red line.
Step 5: Folds 7,8,9 and 10
Fold 7:
Take the topmost corner of the triangle on the left hand side and fold it down to lowest corner. Fold it across the purple line.
Fold 8:
Repeat fold 7 using the right triangle and the yellow line.
Fold 9:
Now take the left hand corner of the left triangle and fold it so it meets the triangles hypotenuse. Fold it across the purple line.
Fold 10:
Repeat fold 9 using the right triangle and the orange line.
Step 6: Folds 11 and 12.
These two folds can be tricky to describe, so you might have to rely on the pictures.
Fold 11:
Basically you are going to tuck the bottom of the right hand triangle underneath itself, so that the inner fold is on the blue line. Now the pink and blue lines might not line up perfectly with your fold, as it depends upon how perfect your precious folds were (or they could just be a little off).
Fold 12:
Repeat fold 11 for the left side, using the pink line.
Step 7: The Tail : Folds 13 - 15
Fold 13 :
If you have scissors available cut along the green line on the top face of the paper.
If you do not have scissors available (like your at school), fold the bottom of the paper up until it meets resistance (triangle folded in step 2), or fold it across the green line. Now slowly drag the fold across your tongue. Then fold it onto the other side, and drag it across your tongue again. Repeat this until you have severely weakened the fold. Now simply tear down the fold, the weakened fold should easily tear down itself.
Fold 14 :
Hold the newly torn piece with the colored face up and fold it in half the long way. (Bring the bottom up to the top to the fold is directly in the middle. Fold it across the blue line.
Fold 15 :
If you have scissors available, cut the light blue lines.
If you do not have scissors available, hold the two blue lines together and tear down both lines at the same time.
Now fold the two flaps outward, bring each of their tops down to meet the green fold and crease. (or fold them across the yellow and red lines respectively.)
Step 8: Folds 16, 17, 18 and 19.
Fold 16:
Fold the top of triangle back along the yellow line.
If you are not using the guide the top is folded backwards so that the fold that was tucked underneath lines up with the edge of the new fold. If confused, look at the pictures.
Fold 17:
Line the left side up with the with the right side and fold it down the center, or across the purple line.
Fold 18 + 19:
Open up the paper so that you can manipulate both sides. Now take the either side and fold it so that the front of the wing (facing all the folds) is slightly higher than the back of the wing or fold along the light ping or blue line. Repeat for the other wing.
Step 9: The Final Folds
Fold 20 + 21:
Fold the tip of either wing about half an inch from the tip, or along the purple or orange line.
THE FINAL THING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Insert the tail underneath the triangle pointing towards the tail. THATS IT!!! YOUR DONE BUILDING IT!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!
Step 10: Flying Your TAPA.
When you try to fly your TAPA make sure that the wings rise above the top of their folds.
However if you want to make it fly upside down, fold them down really far.
To make landing gears pull out the flap hidden in the side of the airplane and fold it so that it points downward. Repeat for the other side. Then move them apart until they can support the plane.
To correct any flight problems you can cut flaps in the back of the wings or you can curve the tail fins.
If that doesn't work, here are some other uses for a dud airplane:
1) Fire starter
2) Confetti
3) Paper ball
4) food
Thank you for reading and good luck!!!!!!!!!!!
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24 Comments
6 years ago
Its pretty good, though it sways to the left all the time
10 years ago on Introduction
I have no printer but it`s cool 4 1/2**** in a half
11 years ago on Introduction
I learned this back in the 80's from a Korean student. I seemed to be the only other one to know anything about the "bird." Glad to see I'm NOT the only one keeping this alive! Thanks for the variation(s).
11 years ago on Introduction
remove tail
13 years ago on Introduction
Remove the "tail" and do one more step... ...it involves folding and tucking...
used to win the university distance compo- in a narrow corridor (65 feet), and was in high school at the time, rofl :")
never saw this with the tail before...
14 years ago on Introduction
COPYRIGHT!
http://www.zurqui.com/crinfocus/paper/air-bld1.html
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
I have never claimed that I invented the airplane (even said that in step 1), plus i dont believe they even own the copyright and someone else already left a picture from their website in the comments. Plus, their instructions are hard(er) to follow.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
k im too lazy to read XD
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
wooow dude ur frikin retarted but funny (-)
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
np
14 years ago on Introduction
psh....easy...i've seen better airplanes.....but if you learn something new... don't hesitate to post it :P
14 years ago on Introduction
i hate that this plane has been made ton and tos of times on this site
14 years ago on Introduction
looks great!!!
14 years ago on Introduction
I'm gonna make a whole fleet of these planes!!! mine works very well without the tail but in inscructables!!!! keep up the GREAT WORK!
14 years ago on Introduction
cool im gonna make this
15 years ago on Introduction
is there a way it can do stunts please reply
15 years ago on Introduction
you can pull the bottom of those things out four landing gear
15 years ago on Introduction
Clear pictures, and instructions, Great looking plane, (i like wyrd looking ones) I suggest providing a download link for the template maybe?
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Thanks for the suggestion, i added a direct link to the instructables image.
15 years ago on Introduction
Nice job! I like the design with the Instructables Robot (as I did), it looks cool. Nice job once again, this plane looks like an awesome glider, will have to try this out. +1 vote.