How to fold the Kingfisher Paper Airplane

Difficulty:

Medium

Synopsis:

With it's extremely large wing area the Kingfisher will float on air almost forever. Get started with these folding instructions now.

Instructions

1. Start with a medium to heavy weight letter size sheet. Fold the paper in half along its short edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

2. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the horizontal center line crease. When folded correctly, the upper left edge of the paper should line up with the center line crease.

3. Rotate the paper around so the center line crease is vertical. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the upper right edge of the paper should line up with the center line crease.

4. Make a crease so the point at the tip of the nose hits the bottom edge of the paper at the center line crease.

5. Align the paper to get ready for the next fold.

6. Pop the flap on the right side up and fold to the left and down. Create two new creases as hinges as the flap is folded down. One crease is on the flap being folded over the other is on the flap towards the top underneath the first.

7. Pop the flap on the left side up and fold to the right and down. Create two new crease as hinges as the flap is folded down. one crease is on the flap being folded over and the other is on the flap towards the top underneath the first.

8. Fold the pointed nose section over making a crease right at the base of the previously pointed flaps. When folded correctly, the tip of the nose section should extend just beyond the top edge of the paper and the center line creases should line up exactly.

9. Flip the plane over so the flap just created is underneath and the nose is pointed and to the left.

10. Fold the plane in half about the existing center line crease. Be sure the wing flaps line up for good balance.

11. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The crease should follow along the line of the existing flap in the nose section and make an up angle going up from left to right.

12. Flip the plane over so the first wing flap is underneath.

13. Make a crease for the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

14. Unfold the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle to be slightly up. A piece of tape across the midsection will hold the wings together but is not necessary.

THE THROW Launch with a soft level throw for long gliding flights. The addition of up elevator may cause the plane to stall or flip over with level flights. Add up elevator and launch downward to make this craft loop and then glide.