In this paper airplane project, you will learn how to fold a glider that floats through the air and can be thrown gently or hard. This paper airplane glides on a long and steady path, and can also do stunts.
The Floating Wing Glider is very similar in shape and size to other paper airplane gliders, but it flies somewhat differently. The major difference is that it has more weight in the nose. This changes its center of gravity and balance characteristics.
Experiment: Use a paper clip to add weight to the front or the back of the glider—this moves the center of gravity forward or backward. See how the position of the extra weight changes the flight characteristics of the glider. For a detailed flight experiment on balancing flight forces, see Paper Airplane Experiment: Balancing Lift and Weight.
Related craft: Explore balancing points in the Halloween Mobile craft project.
You can make the Floating Wing Glider from a piece of letter-size paper—no pattern is needed. However, for a guide in folding or a printed design, choose one of Aunt Annie's patterns. The Trial Model pattern has all the fold marks printed on it. Just download, print, and cut out the pattern, then follow the instructions for folding. Or select from the patterns with printed designs for the wings—colored or black & white. Just download, print, cut out, and color the pattern, then follow the instructions for folding the glider.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
Start with a letter-size sheet of paper about the weight of computer paper. You can leave it plain or color it. Or, start with the cut pattern from Step 1. This first set of folds adds extra weight to the front of the glider.
Tip: Be sure to make all of your folds carefully, neatly, and very sharp.
Next, you'll fold the glider's basic shape.
Now the final folds for the glider.
The Floating Wing Glider can be thrown gently or hard, and you can do stunts with it. Planes with wider wings are more sensitive to adjustment. Slight adjustments in the wings, in launch angle, and in launch speed can result in different flight characteristics. This plane will fly in a circle when one wing tip is curled up a little and one is curled down a little. Try a variety of setups and see what happens.
That's it! Your plane is ready to
fly!