How To Fold The Manta Ray Paper Airplane

Based on a design by Nick Robinson. Difficulty: Easy Paper Size: Square

 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start with a sqaure sheet. Fold the paper exactly in half. Unfold the paper after the crease has been made.
2. Rotate the paper so the crease just made is vertical. Fold the paper exactly in half. Unfold after the crease has been made.
3. Flip the paper over. Fold the upper left and right points down so the points hit the horizontal center line crease at the edge of the paper. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper will line up with the horizontal center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.
4. Flip the paper over and roate it around so the horizontal creases are towards the top.
5. Fold the upper right corner down so the point created on the paper's right edge by the top horizontal crease hits the center line crease. The poin created by the center line crease on the paper's top edge should hit the left half of the top horizontal crease.
6. Unfold the flap just made. Fold the flap just made.
7. Fold the upper left corner down so the point created on the paper's left edge by the top horizontal crease hits the center line crease. The point created by the center line crease on the paper's top edge should hit the right half of the top horizontal crease.
8. Unfold the flap just made. Fold the upper left corner so the point created by the paper's left edge by the top horizontal crease hits the center line crease. The point created by the top center line crease on the paper's top edge should hit the right half of the top horizontal crease.
9. Unfold the flap just made.
10. Pop the upper left and right horizontal creases up while bringing the upper left and right flaps in. When folded correctly, a new flap is created which extends straight up from the paper's base. The new flap should look like this:

11. Rotate the nose around so the nose is pointed up and slightly to the right.

12. Fold the two layers along the diagonal of the small central square on the right. When folded correctly, thel lower left point should hit the upper right point. Unfold after the crease has been made.

13. Pop the small layer of the right square up and forward. A new crease is created along the top edge of the square. Continue to press forward and flatten out the new flap creating the small forwared winglet.

14. Make a crease to fold down the tip of the nose. When folded correctly, the point at the tip of the nose should hit the point created in the center of the paper where the two winglet flaps come together.

15. Flip the paper over so the flaps and the winglets just created are underneath.  Rotate the paper so the nose and the winglets are pointing to the left.

16. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle flat or slightly up. The winglets in front can be adjusted to make the plane loop.

16. Fold the paper exactly in half along the existing center line crease. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

17. Flip the plane over so the nose points to the left and the wing flaps piont down.

18. Make a crease to form the first wing flap. The left point of the crease should be about one finger width from the bottom edge of the fuselage and the right point should be about three fingers width from the bottom edge of the fuselage.

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

20. Make a crease for the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance and flying.

21. Open up the wing flaps and adjust the wing angles so they are even. Set the dihedral angle flat or slightly up. The winglets in front can be adjusted to make the plane loop.