Cool Paper Airplane Folding Instructions

Difficulty:

Medium

Synopsis:

This delta wing flyer has an odd diagonal folding style and yet is very symmetric in design. It requires a sheet of letter paper cut in half the long way. Start with one half of a letter size sheet of medium to heavy weight paper.

Instructions

1. Fold the paper exactly in half about its width.

2. Fold the paper exactly in half again about its width.

3. Unfold all of the folds created previously so the paper is completely open and flat on the working surface.

4. Fold down the point at the left edge of the horizontal crease which is first from the top so the point hits the point at the right edge of the horizontal crease which is first from the bottom edge of the paper.

5. Flip the paper over and rotate it around so the crease made previously is on the right.

6. Fold the paper exactly in half by bringing the point at the very top down so it hits the point at the very bottom of the paper.

7. Unfold the crease just made.

8. Flip the paper over and rotate it around so the remaining fold is on the left.

9. Make a crease to the fold point at the top of the paper. The right point of the crease should be at the upper right corner of the paper and the left point should be at the point formed by the crease at the middle of the left diagonal edge of the paper.

10. Reposition and repeat on the left. Make a crease to fold the point at the top of the paper down. The left point of the crease should be at the upper left corner of the paper and the right point should be at the point formed by the crease at the middle of the right diagonal edge of the paper.

11. Fold the tip of the nose down so the top point hits the center line crease. The left and right points of the crease should be at the points formed on the diagonal edges by the existing folds which are nearest the top.

12. Fold the edge of the nose down. Make the crease half way from the top to the downward pointing tip created on the previous fold. Be sure to make the crease line parallel to the top edge.

13. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the nose points to the right.

14. Fold the plane exactly in half about the existing center line crease. Be sure to line up the two halves for good balance.

15. Rotate the plane around so the nose points to the left.

16. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The left point of the crease should be at the tip of the nose and the right point should be about two finger widths up from the bottom edge of the fuselage.

17. Flip the plane over so the first wing flap is underneath and the nose points to the right.

18. Make a crease for the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance and flying characteristics.

19. Open the wing flaps completely up so the plane is flat on the working surface.

20. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the nose points down.

21. Make a crease for the right side of the tail section. The left point of the crease should be at the point in the center where the left and right wing flaps come together and the right point should be on the upper right side diagonal edge where the existing crease line ends.

22. Repeat by making a crease for the left side of the tail section. The right point of the crease should be at the point in the center where the left and the right wing flaps come together and the left point should be on the upper left diagonal edge where the existing crease line ends.

23. Close the wing flaps and extend the tail sections bringing the two halves of the fuselage together. Be sure to line up the wing flaps and trim the tail sections so they are even. The dihedral angle should be flat or slightly down and the tail flaps as vertical as possible.

THE THROW Launch with a gentle throw at a slight up angle. A hard throw will cause it to lose its shape and flutter to the ground. This craft will open up a little bit as it flies but that is normal. When trimmed properly, the Salmon will float and fly well from a high place.