How To Fold The Condor Paper Airplane

Based on a design by Campbell Morris Difficulty: Easy Paper Size: Letter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start with a letter size sheet. Fold the paper exactly in half along its long edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

2. Rotate the paper around so the center line crease is vertical. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the left half of the top edge should line up with the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

3. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

4. Fold the upper left corner down so the upper left point hits the diagonal crease on the left side. When folded correctly, the left half of the top edge should line up with the diagonal crease.

5. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the diagonal crease on the right side. When folded correctly, the right half of the top edge should line up with the diagonal crease.

6. Fold the top point down so the point hits the right edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the upper right diagonal edge should line up with the right edge of the paper.

7. Unfold the flap just created. Fold the top point down so the point hits the left edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the upper left diagonal edge should be lined up with the left edge of the paper.

8. Unfold the flap just created.

9. Make a crease to fold the nose tip down. The left and right points of the crease should be at the outside flaps are folded down. When folded correctly, the point on the tip of the nose should hit the center line crease.

10. Flip the paper over so the flaps just created are underneath. Keep the flaps and creases at the top.

11. Make a crease to fold the supper left and right points down. The crease should go through the center point created by the diagonal creases. When folded correctly, the upper left and right points should hit the left and right edges of the paper.

12. Unfold the flap just made and flip the paper over, keeping the flaps and creases at the top.

13. Pop the horizontal creases up and fold in and down towards the center line crease. Press the lower triangles down and flat against the plane's main body. Bring the upper left and right corner points up and in towards the middle.

14. The paper should now look like this. Rotate the paper around so the nose points to the left.

15. Fold the bottom corner point over so the lower left diagonal edge lines up with the corner created by the plane's main body and the flap sticking straight up. HINT: start the crease at the tip of the nose and work down; this fold is difficult so take time to get it right.

16. Rotate the plane so the nose points to the right.

17. Fold the bottom corner point over so the lower right diagonal edge lines up with the corner created by the plane's main body and the flap sticking up.

18. Rotate the plane so the nose is pointing up and to the left.

19. Fold the points at the top of the flaps sticking up from the plane's main body, out and down towards the outside edges of the paper. Press the point at the top, where the flaps meet, straight down to the center line crease.

20. Flip the plane over so the nose is pointing up and to the left.

21. Make a crease to the fold nose down. The left and right points of the crease should hit the crease lines on the canards. When folded correctly, the point on the tip of the nose should hit the center line crease.

22. Fold the plane in half along the existing center line crease. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

23. Make a crease for the first wing flap. The left point of the crease should be about one finger width up from the bottom edge of the fuselage and the right point be about three finger widths up on the tail.

24. Flip the plane over so the first wing flap is underneath.

25. Fold down the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

26. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle slightly up. The addition of a piece of tape top and on the bottom of the wings will reduce drag for faster flights.

THE THROW - When folded properly this craft requires very little trimming. Launch with a medium to hard level throw. It can also be launched rather hard straight up.