Make the Coolest Ketch Paper Airplane

Difficulty:

Medium

Synopsis:

This exotic paper plane takes a unique step away from the traditional pointy nosed paper airplane in its' box like but voracious, jet inspired air intake. The plane will end up being smaller than you probably expect but it really does fly well if folded carefully.

Instructions

This paper airplane works best with light to medium weight paper. Start with a letter size sheet.

1. Fold the paper exactly in half along its long edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

2. Fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the horizontal center line crease at the outside edges of the paper. When folded correctly, the top edge should line up with the horizontal center line crease.

3. Fold the lower left and right points up so they hit the horizontal center line crease at the outside edges of the paper. When folded correctly, the bottom edge should line up with the horizontal center line crease.

4. Unfold the two flaps just created so the paper is completely opened up and flat on the working surface. Note that the center crease is not shown here but should appear on your paper.

5. Rotate the paper around so the creases are vertical. Fold the top edge down so it misses the bottom edge by about two finger widths.

6. Flip the paper over so the creased edge is at the top. The paper should open up from the bottom.

7. Make a crease to fold the lower left and right points up. The crease line should be about three finger widths below the paper’s top edge. In fact, the crease line should form squares with the vertical crease lines at each edge.

8. Rotate the paper around so the flap just folded up is at the bottom.

9. Fold the upper right corner of the top-most flap over so it hits the right vertical crease. When folded correctly, the top edge of the new flap should line up with the right vertical crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

10. Fold the upper left corner of the top-most flap over so it hits the left vertical crease. When folded correctly, the top edge of the new flap should line up with the left vertical crease. unfold after the crease has been made.

11. Pop the lower right corner of the paper up and bring it in towards the middle. The flap should hinge about the existing creases. The upper right point of the top-most flap should be brought up and in towards the middle. Press the whole fold flat.

12. Pop the lower left corner of the paper up and bring it in towards the middle. The flap should hinge about the existing crease. The upper left point of the top-most flap should be brought up and in towards the middle. Press the whole fold flat.

13. Fold the inside right flap over about the existing creases. Leave the small triangular flap on the right edge of the paper in place during the fold.

14. Fold the inside left flap over about the existing creases. Leave the small triangular flap on the left edge of the paper in place during the fold. Hit play forward to finish the fold.

15. Flip the paper over so the flaps just folded are at the bottom.

16. Make a crease to fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the outside edges of the paper. Make the crease so the width of the new flap is about one finger width.

17. Fold the flap at the top edge of the paper exactly in half. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper should line up with the bottom edge of the existing flap.

18. Rotate the paper around so the two narrow rectangular flaps are at the right.

19. Fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the edges of the paper at the bottom horizontal crease. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper should line up with the bottom horizontal crease.

20. Unfold the flap just made. Fold the lower left and right points up so they hit the edges of the paper at the top horizontal crease. When folded correctly, the bottom edge of the paper should line up with the top horizontal crease.

21. Unfold the flap just made.

21b. Rotate the paper around so the narrow rectangular flaps are at the top. Flip the paper over so the flaps folded previously are underneath.

22. Make a crease to fold the lower right edge of the paper over so the lower tow points hit the right-most vertical crease. When folded correctly, the lower right edge should line up wit the right-most vertical crease.

23. Fold the flap just created and the flap underneath over about the existing creases. When folded correctly, the right edge of the flap should line up with the nearest inside vertical crease.

24. Make a crease to fold the lower left edge of the paper over so the lower two points hit the left-most vertical crease. When folded correctly, the lower left edge should line up with the left-most vertical crease.

25. Fold the flap just created and the flap underneath over about the existing creases. When folded correctly, the left edge of the flap should line up with the nearest inside vertical crease.

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26. Flip the paper over so the longest edge is down and to the left and the flaps just created are underneath.

27. Bring the left and right edges of the paper up and in towards the middle. A rectangular box shape should start to form.

28. Pop the topmost layer of the upper right flap up to open up a pocket. Open up the long narrow rectangular flap underneath the upper left flap.

29. Slide the left flap into the pocket opened up on the right flap. Slide the front edge of the right flap into the opening created by the long narrow flap on the underneath of the left flap. Close the pocket and fold the rectangular flap in and up to lock the box together.

30. Open up the wing flaps on either side of the box adn adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle on these wing flaps to be flat or slightly up.

31. Open up the flaps on the wing tips so they are vertical. Adjust the angles of the flaps so they are even. Add some up elevator on the back of the wing flaps to keep the nose up during flight. A piece of tape can also be used to help hold the nose together.

THE THROW – Launch this craft level with a long soft throw. Extend the arm to give slow but steady acceleration. With the addition of a paper clip on the nose, a harder throw at more of an up angle will produce a good flight. When trimmed this plane can also be launched straight up. The video shows the wingtips being folded down. I think the plane flies better with the wingtips kept as part of the wing (not folded down). You may need to add a paperclip to the lowered edge to keep the plane from inverting in flight though. The plane already has plenty of lateral stability and the wingtips are unnecessary and take away from the wings lift area. This plane flies remarkably well in folded carefully.