Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012

32 Pages·2012·49.22 MB·English

Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 1
Ready for Take Off!
Page 2 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
Table of Contents
3 Letter from the Editor
6 History of the World
Record Paper Airplane
Ken Blackburn tells a story on how he created
the world record paper airplane.
10 How I set the Guinness
World Record
This article, also written by Ken Blackburn, ex-
plains how he set the Guinness World Record.
11 The Basics of Folding
This article introduces the reader to the
basics of paper airplane folding.
12 Folding and Flying
Your Planes
Almost anyone can make paper airplanes, but
it helps to know a little bit about them. This
article will teach you how to achieve great
flights from the start.
14 Setting Up a Paper
Airplane Contest
This article provides guidelines for setting
up paper airplane contests
plus…
16 A special section including step-
by-step instructions on folding
paper airplanes for both novices
and advanced folders.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 3
Paper Airplane
A Workmen Publication
Nick Robinson
Editor in Chief
Alison Fortney
Art Director
Ken Blackburn
Writer at Large
Troy Underwood
Associate Editor
Contributing Editors
Jeff Lammers
Keith Laux
Associate Art Director
Bob Stocki
Student Intern
Howdy Doody
Production
Vickie Bales
John Kenzie
Tom Kadzielawski
Jennifer Jezler
Nolan Chan
Member, American Society
of Magazine Editors
ASME works to preserve editorial independence and
speaks out on public policy issues, particularly those
pertaining to the First Amendment.
Paper Airplane Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 2, January 2013; ISSN 0362-4595) is
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Page 4 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 Postmaster: Send changes of address to Paper Airplane Magazine, P.O. Box
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From the Editor
Man’s desire to fly dates back design on earth. Many hundreds because paper aircraft remind us
to the earliest times, from the of thousands must have been of the carefree days of our youth,
legendary Icarus and the 18th- made over the years by eager and the thrill of sending a dart
century efforts of the Montgolfier schoolchildren and by adults with higher and further than anyone
Brothers, right up to the fateful a little time to spare. else. Despite its apparently trivial
Thursday in 1903 when Wilbur No one knows exactly how old nature, creating paper aircraft
and Orville Wright made the first the concept of a paper plane is, can be an exacting and time-
heavier-than-air flight. but it is probably a 20th-century consuming activity. The designers of
Nowadays, we take it for innovation. The folding of paper sophisticated aircraft know of the
granted when aircraft fly at several aircraft has close links with the value of simple aerodynamics, as
times the speed of sound with a art of origami (which literally displayed by a paper dart.
computer in control, performing means “folding paper”). The growth This magazine is aimed at
the most amazing acrobatics. of interest in paper flight in the anyone who has ever wanted to
Yet, deep within us, there is still 1960s was probably an offshoot try their hand at tried and tested
a fascination with all things that of the great technical and artistic paper aircraft, and it also includes
are able to leave the earth behind. advances made in origami during one or two rather unorthodox
Few of us have been able to watch that period. designs. No previous folding
swallows swoop and five in the Most of the designs in this experience is needed. After trying
evening sun without feeling a magazine have been created these examples, I hope you will
touch of envy. by people who are primarily feel inspired not only to create
This longing may be one paper-folders rather than aircraft your own designs, but to try other
cause of our love affair with enthusiasts, but the appeal of subjects and discover the true and
paper airplanes. The traditional paper aircraft transcends the lasting joy of paper-folding.
dart is probably the most folded appeal of origami. Perhaps this is
Nick Robinson, editor
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 5
History of the World Record Paper Airplane
When I was about eight years With this goal in mind, I refined A Second Attempt
old, I made one of my fre- my plane designs and worked on August of 1981 was the beginning
quent trips to the aviation section my throw. Many people are suprised of four years of aerospace engineer-
of the library in Kernersville, North to learn that I consider the throw to ing at North Carolina State Universi-
Carolina, and checked out a book be almost as important as the plane ty. I lived on the sixth then the eighth
that included instructions for a itself. The faster the throw, the high- floor, perfect airplane launching pads
simple square paper airplane. I er the airplane toes and, therefore, (even though throwing objects from
found that it flew better than the the longer the flight. dorm windows was strictly prohibit-
paper darts I was used to making. In 1979, when I was a junior ed). I made planes from every paper
Thrown straight up, it reached in high school, I made an official product available—from pizza boxes
much higher altitudes. attempt at the world record. The re- to computer punch cards—in many
To the dismay of my teachers, I fold- cord was described in the Guinness bizarre shapes, and soon infected the
ed many of these planes, experiment- Book as time “over level ground,” so dorm with plane-flying fever.
ing with changes to the original design. I chose the school’s baseball field as Still, it wasn’t until my junior year
(One of the beauties of paper airplanes my staging ground. One afternoon, that my friends began encouraging
is that they are perfectly suited to trial with my teachers as timers and a me to make another stab at the
and error testing. If one doesn’t work, reporter on hand from the Win- world record, and I finally decided
it’s cheap and easy to start over.) One of ston-Salem Jounal, I let my favorite to give it a try. I practiced several
my designs would level off at the peak square plane fly. With the help of times at the school coliseum, keep-
of its climb and then start a slow down- the wind, I made a flight of 24.9 ing the best plane from my sessions,
ward glide. Sometimes, with the help seconds, and was sure I had flown nicknamed “old Bossy,” for the record
of rising air currents, I achieved flights right into the pages of history. attempt. Old Bossy was regularly
lasting nearly a minute and covering Unfortunately, the letter I received achieving times over 17 seconds, well
about 1,000 feet. back from Guinness Superlatives, above the 15-second record.
In 1977, I received a Guinness Ltd., wasn’t quite what I had hoped A friend arranged for a reporter
Book of World Records as a gift. for. They informed me that the flight from the school newspaper to meet
Naturally the first thing I turned to had to be performed indoors. us at the coliseum. I made a few
was the aviation section. The paper The next year, I worked part- warm-up throws, and then reached
airplane “time aloft” record was time at Reynolds Coliseum in for Old Bossy. With a mighty heave, I
15 seconds, set by William Pryor Winston-Salem, parking cars and sent the plan hurtling into the upper
in 1975. It dawned on me that moving equipment. In my time off, reaches of the coliseum… and di-
my planes (without help from the I had access to the largest indoor rectly into a cluster of speakers near
wind) were flying at close to world paper airplane practice arena I the ceiling. I was devastated. My best
record times. On my next outing, I would ever need. My best flights plane, Old Bossy, gone forever.
timed the best flights. They weren’t yielded times of over 17 seconds, My roommate handed me a
quite long enough to break the and I new the record was mine for piece of ordinary copier paper and I
record, but with a little work I the taking, but I got sidetracked by quickly made another airplane. My
thought I could do it. college applications. second throw with the new plane
1985 Guinness Book of World Records 1989 Guinness Book of World Records
Paper Airplane Paper Airplane
The flight duration for a paper aircraft The flight duration for a paper aircraft
over level ground is 16.89 seconds by over level ground is 17.20 seconds by Ken
Ken Blackburn in the Reynolds Coliseum Blackburn at the Mecca Convention Center,
at NC State University, Raleigh, on Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 28, 1987.
November 29, 1983.
Page 6 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
was the best of the afternoon at Round Three As the plan came to a smooth si-
16.89 seconds. It eat the old record, With my best practice airplane lent landing on the floor, the official
but I knew I could have done bet- packed in an old show box, I set yelled out, “17.20 seconds!” Yes, a
ter with Old Bossy. I sent Guinness out on my all-expense-paid ex- new world record! I made two more
the newspaper article, signatures travaganza to Milwaukee. It turned throws, but neither beat the record.
of the witnesses, and Old Bossy’s out that Tony Feltch, the distance
replacement. This time Guinness record holder for paper airplanes, Another Chance
responded with the letter I’d been was also there, trying to beat his For a little while after my seg-
waiting for. record, and that we’d be making ment aired I felt like a celebrity.
our attempts in the Milwaukee Friends and relatives called me, and
Many people are Convention Center. kids in my neighborhood wanted
Tony went first and, after only a few me to autograph paper airplanes.
surprised to learn that I
throws, broke his old record, achieving But the excitement soon died down,
consider the throw to be
a distance of nearly 200 feet. Addition- and I went back to my normal life.
almost as important as al filming and interviews with Tony Still, I continued modifying and
the plane itself. dragged on for hours, leaving me on flying my paper airplanes. In 1990,
the sidelines, sweating bullets. I fine-tuned my planes, built up my
Finally, it was my turn. I picked arm, and achieved several 20-sec-
After graduation, I went to work out my best plane from practice, ond flights (which, of course, no
for an aerospace company—Mc- and got the nod from the producer one was around to see, much less
Donnell Douglas in St. Louis, that the cameras were rolling. I officially record).
Missouri. In the summer of 1987, heaved the airplane upward, and In 1994, I received another
I was finishing a job on the F-18 watched it float down. The official surprise call from a TV program;
Hornet, when I got an unexpected called out a time of 15.02 seconds. this time it was from a British show
call from California. A television I concentrated harder on my sec- called Record Breakers. They want-
production company was putting ond throw, but was again rewarded ed to know if I’d be willing to reset
together a series featuring people with a time of only 15.47 seconds. the world record again in a month
attempting to break world records. Suddenly it struck me that I might in New York City. I enthusiastically
Would I be interested in trying to not be able to reset the record. agreed and immediately started
reset my record? I didn’t have to Even in good condition, my arm working out in preparation. I was for-
think long before replying with a lasts for only a couple of world tunate enough to find a trainer who
definite yes. The filming was only record throws in any one day. was also the pitcher for a college
a few weeks away and I usually I made my third throw with ev- baseball team and could help me
needed at least a month to get my erything I had. (I estimate that these strengthen my 30-year-old arm.
throwing arm in shape, so I started throws leave my hand at a speed February 17 found me standing
practicing immediately. close to 60 miles per hour.) The next to an enormous DC-10 in
launch seemed better, but the stop- American Airlines Hangar Number
watch would be the final judge. 10 at JFK Airport, the chosen place
1996 Guinness Book of World Records Current Guinness World Record
Paper Airplane Paper Airplane
The flight duration for a paper aircraft The flight duration for a paper aircraft
over level ground is 18.80 seconds by over level ground is 27.6 seconds by
Ken Blackburn at American Airlines Ken Blackburn at the Georgia Dome in
Hangar 10, JFK Airport, Queens, NY, Atlanta, October 8, 1998.
February 17, 1994.
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 7
for the attempt. I walked up to the and Andy Currey, continued working narrower until I found just the right
plane and looked in awe at the on their planes and set a new record width. Third, I added crease marks on
200-foot-long, 100-million-dollar of 20.9 seconds on July 28, 1996. The the wings which, like the dimples on
backdrop for my 5-inch-long folded record did not appear in the Guin- a gold ball, reduced the drag.
piece of paper. I had an enthusiastic ness Book until the 1998 edition. I started by practicing indoors in
crowd of conlookers consisting of That January, I glanced through a order to get consistent flying times.
the hangar’s maintenance crew and freshly printed copy and discovered My primary flying site was a large
other personnel, all waiting to see to my horror that I had been dis- assembly area at Boeing—where
the world record broken. placed. I had to get my record back. I’d also practiced for my 1994 and
The cameras began to roll. I I knew it would take at least six 1996 records—but I quickly ran
felt confident, but more nervous months of daily preparation to have into problems. It was being used
than I’d expected. My first throw a chance of resetting the record. for the final assembly of the navy’s
bombed as a result of a poor My plan was to construct and test newest fighter, the F/A-18E/F,
launch. During my second throw, I between five and ten planes a week. which meant there wasn’t enough
concentrated on good form, giving Initially, I tried radical changes to space, and the 60-foot ceilings
it everything I had to offer. The my design, progressively narrowing were also proving to be too low.
launch felt a lot better. The plan in on the best paper airplane design My best flights often hit the ceiling,
started a slow turn to the left, for a record attempt. I also started and I lost some of my best planes
narrowly avoiding a collision with working with a professional athletic forever when they lodged on top of
the DC-10’s tail. I could tell it was trainer, Dorri Buckholtz, focusing on beams or ventilation ducts. So I be-
a good flight, but only the timer strengthening my arm. She was ex- gan practicing outside, but weather
would know exactly how good. tremely helpful, giving me detailed and air currents made it difficult to
When he called out 18.8 sec- instructions for exercises designed determine the exact flight perfor-
onds, everyone began to clap. I had to improve my throwing speed. mance of each plane. I knew my
forgotten the thrill of setting a Despite my new designs, I had the best planes were flying just over
record, and was running on adrena- most luck with the original model 20 seconds, but by how much?
line for hours afterward. I’d invented as a kid (the one that’s Finding a facility for attempting
included with this article). But I did the record was another challenge.
Surpassed — Briefly find a few ways to make the plane Through the help of a family friend,
In 1996 the BBC invited me to try fly better and more consistently. First, I eventually secured the Georgia
to reset my record, this time on live it’s important to keep the folds as flat Dome (home of the Atlanta Fal-
TV in London with 20 other teams as possible, which I did by pressing cons), and a date of October 8th,
competing. I won the contest with a each fold with the side of a pen 1998, was set. Not only did I have a
flight time of 17.3 seconds, but unbe- as I constructed the plane. Second, facility of my dreams, but the staff
knownst to me, after the event two I experimented with making the also agreed to give me an extra
of the other contestants, Chris Edge folds both a little wider and a little day in the dome to practice before
The world record
throw, 1998
Ken Blackburn demonstrating
the world record throw
Page 8 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012
I attempted the record! terproof, crushproof paper airplane After a small adjustment, another
hangar) and headed down to the good flight, 23.1 seconds! Throw
Atlanta Georgia Dome. As I approached number four was another dud, but
Guinness requires media coverage, the dome, the clouds appeared to number five had a great launch
videotape, and photographs, as well be lifting, so I hoped the humid- and was 24.2 seconds! Just think,
as the record corroborated by two ity wouldn’t be a problem. When only five minutes earlier I thought
designated officials known as “Scru- I walked indoors, both CNN and I might not be able to beat the
tineers.” Organizing all this at a loca- the local news crews were there record! Throw number six was a
tion 500 miles from home was quite to greet me. I made some practice dud, and throws seven and eight
a challenge, but with the help of my throws to warm up my arm and to were both a little short, and throw
sister, Jackie Tyson, and the publisher allow the media some close-up nine was another dud. This was
of this magazine, everything came views of my launch. While I waited my last throw—I gave it all I had.
together—now all I had to do was go for everyone else to arrive, I met This time it was a great throw, and
ahead and set the record! the Scrutineers, went over the it had a great transition to slow
Wednesday, October 7th, was my rules, and showed them my planes. flight. When it landed I knew it
practice day. Words can’t describe Then it was show time. was a long flight, but loner than
how overwhelming it was to have 24.2 seconds? I heard the time as
one of the largest rooms in the The Final Attempt I walked over to retrieve my plane:
world silent and still, just for me! The rules allow just ten offi- 27.6 seconds! YES! Better than I
But there was one problem. It was cial throws, so first I took out my had ever hoped or dreamed. With
raining, and with the dome’s venti- best plane from the day before luck, help, and hard work, the sum-
lation turned off, the humidity had and fine-tuned it until it flew just mit had been reached!
filtered indoors as well. It wasn’t a right and the practice times ex- I submitted the necessary ma-
complete show stopper, but it was ceeded 20 seconds. I made sure terials to Guinness, and I received
affecting my planes. After an hour the Scrutineers were ready, and I notification from them on April
of testing, only two planes had took the field for my first official 30th, 1999, that my record had be-
flown beyond the existing record, flight. I gave it my best throw—it come official. I may now be retired
and both by less than a second! By flew erratically, but still it looked from setting records—but who
the end of the day, I was somewhat good. I waited nervously for the knows what the future might hold.
satisfied I could break the record, official time from the Scrutineers.
but only if the humidity didn’t 21.3 seconds—a new record! What
increase further. a relief. Nonetheless I decided I
Thursday, October 8th, start- would use all my available throws
ed out cloudy and very humid. I to make sure to get the best time
grabbed my Rubbermaid contain- possible. The second throw went
ers (Rubbermaid makes a great wa- straight up—and straight down.
The world record Throwing a paper airplane
paper airplane in a stadium
Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 9
How I Set the Guinness World Record
by Ken Blackburn airplane had flown over a level
Most people don’t think they surface was 15.0 seconds. I soon
GUINNESS GUIDELINES
can set a world record. I know. realized my paper airplanes would
Here are the rules for setting a
I used to think that way, too. I start- fly nearly that long, so I set a goal Guinness World Record for paper
ed making paper airplanes just to try to break the world record. airplane time aloft:
for the fun of it when I was about After a year of practice and 1. The flight must take place
seven years old. Over the years, I fine-tuning, I gathered my friends, indoors.
improved my planes and eventual- teachers, and a newspaper reporter 2. The plane must be made from a
single sheet of paper that is no
ly landed in the Guinness Book of for a record attempt. My plane flew
longer than 9.84 by 13.90 inch-
World Records. for almost 25 seconds! I was elated
es (250 x 353 mm) and weighs
I have always loved airplanes, until Guinness informed me the
no more than 5 ounces (150
and as a kid I made lots of model record had to be set indoors. Setting
grams). Typing or copier paper
airplanes. I enjoyed flying them, the record had to wait. I needed to
works great.
but didn’t like the expense, the find a large enough building to do it 3. 3. It’s OK to use some tape or
building time, and the eventual in, and I also needed to practice and glue.
tree landing or crash. While brows- improve my throw. 4. 4. The plan must be thrown
ing in the library one day, I discov- At 20, I was studying to become from level ground. The stop-
ered several books that showed an aerospace engineer at North watch must start when you
release the plan, and end when
me how to make some great paper Carolina State University. I told
the plane touches anything (the
airplanes. I found the best-flying some friends about my “almost” re-
floor, a wall, a chair…).
planes were the square-looking cord, and they decided they would
5. 5. You’re allowed six attempts.
ones. I also learned that the real help me try again. They timed my
6. 6. You must submit the follow-
secret to making paper airplanes flights and arranged for a reporter
ing to file a record claim:
fly well is the small adjustments to cover the event. • Signed statements from two
you make once you’ve flown the After a month of practice, we witnesses saying that they
planes a few times. gathered at my college’s basket- saw you set the record.
Soon I was flying lots of paper ball arena for the attempt. With • A newspaper clipping about
airplanes. They flew well, were a camera and a stopwatch ready, the event.
• Color photographs and a
quick to make, and were just I threw my best plane as hard as
continuous video of the
about free. I improved my planes I could into the upper reaches of
flight (you must have both).
by studying anything I could find the building, only to watch it glide
NOTE: It is not required that a
about real airplanes, then making into a cluster of speakers. My best
Guinness representative be present.
changes to my paper models. I plane, gone forever!
even started coming up with my One of my friends found a sheet
own plane designs. of copier paper, and I quickly folded
When I was 13 years old, I de- another plane. My third throw with
signed a new plane that flew really this new plane was the best at
well. I could throw it very high 16.89 seconds—a new record! After
FAST FACT
outdoors and watch the wind carry a couple of nervous weeks, the let-
The world’s largest paper
it as it slowly glided to the ground. ter I wanted arrived—Guinness ap-
airplane on record had a
It soon became my favorite plane, proved the record! After five years, I
wing span of 45 feet 10
and I worked constantly to improve had finally reached my goal.
inches. It was built by
it. Since then I have been able
When I was 15 years old, my to reset my record twice—first at students and faculty at Delft
parents gave me a Guinness Book 17.2 seconds, then at 18.8 seconds, University of Technology
of World Records as a gift. I quickly where the record stands today. I in the Netherlands, and on
turned to the section with aircraft have had flights of up to 21 sec- May 15, 1995, they flew it
records. Among the records was onds in practice sessions, so maybe 114 feet indoors.
one for paper airplanes. It stat- I’ll try again. I’d like to break the
ed that the longest time a paper 20-second barrier.
Page 10 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012