NASM paper plane printout b1p2i5
HOW TO BUILD YOUR
PAPER AIRPLANE!
THE “DART”
Make sure the location of the star on your paper plane print out matches the location of the star in the directions below!
1.
Pattern side down, fold paper in half, then unfold.
2.
Fold both top corners in to center crease.
3.
Fold both sides in again so the corners meet at the middle crease.
4.
Fold plane in half.
5.
Fold down both wings so the two top corners meet the bottom edge of the plane.
6.
Unfold wings so they lie horizontal when the plane is in flight.
YOU’RE READY
TO FLY!
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
PREPARE FOR
TAKE OFF!
Think your plane has the stuff to go pro?
Check out these tips, tricks, and modifications and put your aircraft to the test!
1. Gently bend up the rear corners of the wings (as shown in diagram).
This balances the plane in flight.
2. Bend a wire coat hanger into a hoop and hang it.
3. Attach three paper clips to the back of the vertical surface (as shown in diagram).
4. Try to fly the plane through the hoop.
5. Now move the paper clips to the front of the plane and try again.
What’s the difference?
WHAT’S GOING ON?
First, you’ll need to know what these three things mean:
Stability: An airplane’s tendency to right itself after it is disturbed.
Center of Lift: The point where all the lifting force is concentrated.
Center of Gravity: The “balancing point” of an airplane. At this point there is just as much mass in front of it as there is behind it. If you put your finger here, the plane will balance on it.
When you put paperclips on the back of the airplane, the center of gravity moved farther back. This extra weight pulls the back of the plane down, while the center of lift pulls the front up. The airplane is unstable!
When you moved the paperclips to the front of the plane, the center of gravity moved in front of the center of lift. Now the weight pulls the front of the plane down.
The airplane is still unstable!
So where’s the best place to put the
PAPER AIRPLANE!
THE “DART”
Make sure the location of the star on your paper plane print out matches the location of the star in the directions below!
1.
Pattern side down, fold paper in half, then unfold.
2.
Fold both top corners in to center crease.
3.
Fold both sides in again so the corners meet at the middle crease.
4.
Fold plane in half.
5.
Fold down both wings so the two top corners meet the bottom edge of the plane.
6.
Unfold wings so they lie horizontal when the plane is in flight.
YOU’RE READY
TO FLY!
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
PREPARE FOR
TAKE OFF!
Think your plane has the stuff to go pro?
Check out these tips, tricks, and modifications and put your aircraft to the test!
1. Gently bend up the rear corners of the wings (as shown in diagram).
This balances the plane in flight.
2. Bend a wire coat hanger into a hoop and hang it.
3. Attach three paper clips to the back of the vertical surface (as shown in diagram).
4. Try to fly the plane through the hoop.
5. Now move the paper clips to the front of the plane and try again.
What’s the difference?
WHAT’S GOING ON?
First, you’ll need to know what these three things mean:
Stability: An airplane’s tendency to right itself after it is disturbed.
Center of Lift: The point where all the lifting force is concentrated.
Center of Gravity: The “balancing point” of an airplane. At this point there is just as much mass in front of it as there is behind it. If you put your finger here, the plane will balance on it.
When you put paperclips on the back of the airplane, the center of gravity moved farther back. This extra weight pulls the back of the plane down, while the center of lift pulls the front up. The airplane is unstable!
When you moved the paperclips to the front of the plane, the center of gravity moved in front of the center of lift. Now the weight pulls the front of the plane down.
The airplane is still unstable!
So where’s the best place to put the