How to Make an Origami Airplane

Co-authored by Robert Homayoon

Last Updated: April 13, 2024 References

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding. ^{[1]
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Research source} The classic origami plane is made from a single piece of rectangular paper and consists of four parts: the nose (front), body, wings, and tail (back). After you master the basic design, get some friends together and stage flying competitions to see how far your plane can fly or how long it can stay in the air.The world record for flight distance is 226 feet 10 inches, and 27.9 seconds for flight time. ^{[2]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Classic Origami Airplane

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If you plan on flying your plane indoors, lightweight paper such as printer paper is perfect. Heavier paper such as origami paper or cardstock (thicker paper) is preferred if you plan to fly your plane outside, especially on a windy day.
Crease and unfold. It is important to keep the creases sharp and surfaces smooth to decrease drag (resistance forces). ^{[3]
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Do not unfold. At this point, your paper should form a "house" shape with a pointed roof and long straight sides.
Do not unfold. Your "house" should look like a "tent" with a long, steep pointed roof and short straight sides. Fold your "tent" in half vertically to make the body of the airplane. Your
At this point it is good to make sure your folds are symmetrical and your creases are sharp.
The tops of the wings should form a flat, triangle-shaped surface. The body should be triangle-shaped as well and extend below the wings in the center of your plane.
Once you've mastered the basic origami airplane, you can experiment with more advanced designs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making an Origami Jet

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If you do not have a square piece of paper, you can make one by taking a rectangular sheet of paper
In origami,a valley fold is when you fold the paper in half so it forms a 'V'. Unfold the paper.
There should be three horizontal creases that divide the paper into four equal sections.
Unfold the paper and lay it flat on the table. At this point the creases should form 16 squares that run four-across and four-down.
Unfold.
When you unfold your paper, the creases should form 16 equal-sized squares plus an 'X' that runs from the top-left to bottom-right corner, and top-right to bottom-left corner.
Apply a vertical valley fold on the left corner of your diamond. Do not unfold. Your diamond should have three pointed and one flat corner.
9
Create a crease pattern. This pattern uses a series of valley and mountain folds along preexisting creases. Here is a diagram showing the location and type of folds.
- The opposite of a valley fold is a mountain fold, where the paper is folded to form an upside-down "V". ^{[6]
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At this point, your jet should resemble a "shoe" with a pointed toe. Next, fold the base (longest edge) up so it covers about 1/3rd of the "shoe".
This section will eventually form the wings. Repeat fold on the opposite side.
Spread the wings by gently pulling them out to the sides.
13
Launch your jet. Hold it near the nose so the plane is either perpendicular to the ground or the nose is pointed slightly up. Throw the plane overhanded using a fast, smooth motion.
- Compare the flight distance and speed of your origami jet to your origami plane.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making an Origami Hang Glider

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You want to use lightweight paper as you be surfing your glider on a wave of air rather than throwing it like an airplane. ^{[5]
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2
Collect all additional materials. In addition to a piece of paper, you will need the following:
- Pair of scissors.
- Three metal twist ties
- Scotch tape
- Ruler
- Pen
3
Print out the template for your hang glider. Here is an example .
- Using scissors, cut one of the two large triangles along the outer black lines. Save the second triangle to give to a friend so they can make their own origami hang glider.
- Cut a small notch along the thick black lines at the base (longest side) of both triangles.
4
Tape the cut-out templates to your piece of paper. Make sure the template is flat against your paper and there are no wrinkles or folds. Use four pieces of tape to secure the template, one at each point and one in the center of the base of the triangle.
- Once the template is secured, cut around the outer edges of the triangle making sure it remains connected to the underlying paper.
5
Trace along the dotted lines with a pencil. The dotted lines indicate where you will fold the paper. They are separated into two categories and labeled on the pattern:
- There are three valley folds. One line runs parallel to the base, and the other two are located at each end of the first line.
- There are three mountain folds. One bisects the top edge of the triangle, and the other two run parallel to the sides of the triangle.
- Have the template facing you at all times so you can orient yourself according to these folds.
Fold the base inwards over the ruler. Gently unfold the paper so the fold remains loose.
8
Fold outwards along the two mountain folds that run parallel to the sides of the triangle. Start with one side and then do the other. Keep these folds loose for now.
- Once these have been folded outwards, pinch the mountain fold at the top of the triangle.
- Pinch along all three mountain lines, stopping at the end of the lines or where they intersect with a valley fold.
- Make sure the folds are crisp and symmetrical.
This forms the vertical stabilizers at the back corners of you glider.
The ends of the wings can bend up or down. Both wings must be up to fly, otherwise the glider will nosedive when thrown.
At this point, your glider is back heavy, which will cause it to roll back-over-front when thrown.
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Use a twist tie to create a lever that extends out from the front of the glider.
- Cut out the square labeled 'Front Weight Stabilizer'. Use this to cut-out a square from the same piece of lightweight paper you used to build the glider.
- Cut away the plastic covering on the metal twist tie until it is just a thin, metal wire. You can do this by cutting along the wire and scrape-off any remaining covering with your fingernails.
- Place a small piece of tape (no more than 1/2 inch) on one end of the wire. Tape the wire to one of the corners of your paper square.
- Place the paper square on a thick book so the corner with the wire is at the edge of the book. The wire should extend out from the edge of the book and have no support.
- If the wire tips down, then it is too heavy. Use scissors to cut-off small pieces of the wire until it only slightly tips.
- If the wire is perfectly balanced, it might be too light. You can make it heavier by adding tiny pieces of tape to the end not attached to the paper.
13
Remove the wire from the paper square. You will need to attach the wire to the nose of the glider.
- Turn the glider over so the side with the template is facing down.
- Attach a small, square (ca. 1/2 inch) piece of tape to one end of the wire.
- Tape the wire so it exactly follows the fold that forms the nose of the glider. Attach it so the corners of the tape match-up exactly to the front edge.
- Turn the glider over and refold the front so the crease supports the wire. It is okay if there is a slight bend to either side of the fold. This gives the glider strength.
14
Flatten the folds if they are too tight. The curvature of the wings is known as camber, and influences lift in planes or gliders by forming the airfoil. Folds that are too tight create too much camber, and this destabilizes the plane.
- Place the plane in the cover of heavy book.
- Push the vertical stabilizers down so they are not damaged.
- Close the cover and press down for 5 to 10 seconds.
- This will improve the camber by creating a more gentle curvature.
15
Adjust the elevon and vertical stabilizers as needed. Place the plane on a flat surface and measure the angle between the surface and the back flap.
- If this angle is less than 20 degrees, increase the angle by bending it slightly forwards.
- Check that the angle on both ends is equal.
- Refold the vertical stabilizers so they form a 90 degree angle with the body of the glider.
- Separate the template from the paper if you haven't already. Bend the end of the wire up until it forms a small hook. Be careful not to tear the paper or disturb any of the folds.
- Use the wire hook to pick-up and carry your glider.
- Do not pick-up your glider from the back. This can damage the vertical stabilizers or the back flap of the glider, known as the elevon which is important for roll and pitch. ^{[6]
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- Use scissors to cut along the curved line in the back, and cut-off the pointed tips of the stabilizers along the solid black line.
16
Launch your glider. Hold the glider in the center with you thumb and index finger. With the nose of the glider pointing slightly down, gently drop it.
- Walk behind your glider and gently wave a piece of cardboard that is at least 1.5 by 1.5 feet underneath it. This will help keep your glider in motion.
Enjoy your glider.

Expert Q&A

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Question

What advice do you have for someone who's trying to get started doing origami as a beginner?

Robert Homayoon
Origami Expert
Robert Homayoon is an Origami Expert known for his engaging YouTube videos and accessible instructions. He has been teaching origami on YouTube since 2009. His channel has a following of over 676,000 subscribers, and his videos have garnered over 211 million views. Robert uses his channel to highlight his passion for teaching people origami, crafts, and how to solve puzzles. He graduated from SUNY Albany in 2007 and earned his D.M.D degree from Temple University Dental School in 2013.

Robert Homayoon

Origami Expert

Expert Answer

Get a couple of simple books that teach you the basic folds, valley folds, and mountain folds. Work on your hand coordination skills and being precise. Try to be as accurate as possible with the instructions. I find watching videos is a little bit better than reading books. But it's sometimes a good idea to watch videos and read books.

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Can I use printer paper for the glider?

Community Answer

You could, but it won't be as effective, or as easy to work with.

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Tips

A heavier aircraft is better for flying outdoors since the added weight helps decrease the effect of wind. You can increase weight by adding paperclips to the nose or wings. ^{[7]
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Hold and pick-up your plane from the nose. You risk damaging the wings if you pick it up from the tail.

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Avoid curving or arcing your throw. This will cause the plane to nosedive.

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Warnings

Do not aim your plane or glider at people or pets. The edges of the plane are sharp and can injure eyes or cause paper cuts.

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Things You'll Need

Airplane and jet: smooth piece of computer paper with no creases or wrinkles, 2-3 paperclips (optional).
Glider: lightweight paper, scissors, metal twist tie, pen, and glider template.

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How to Make an Origami Airplane

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Making a Classic Origami Airplane

Making an Origami Jet

Making an Origami Hang Glider

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