Awesome Albatross Paper Airplane

Awesome Albatross Paper Airplane

Awesome Albatross Paper Airplane
Difficulty:
Medium
Synopsis:
This Excellent flying paper plane is in the Glider family. If folded well it is capable of very long, slow flights. The plane itself is traditional for a glider in that is has broad wings to generate plenty of lift at the expense of speed. This plane is a beautiful flyer.

Instructions

This interesting looking square craft works best with light to medium weight paper. Start with a letter size sheet.

1. Start with a letter size sheet. Fold down the upper left corner so the upper left point hits the paper's right edge. When folded correctly, the top edge will line up with the paper's right edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

2. Fold down the upper right corner so the left upper right point hits the paper's left edge. When folded correctly, the top edge will line up with the paper's left edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

3. Flip the paper over, keeping the diagonal creases towards the top.

4. Fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the points created by the diagonal creases at the outside edges of the paper. When folded correctly, the new crease should go through the center point formed by the diagonal creases. Unfold after the crease has been made.

6. Fold the paper exactly in half along its long edge. Unfold after the crease has been made.

7. Pop the left and right horizontal crease up and into the paper bringing them in towards the middle. The two triangular flaps should lay flat against the plane's main body and a new flap should stick straight up out of the plane's main body.

8. Split the two layers of the flap, which is standing up, apart, bringing the two points at the rear of the flaps down towards the edges of the paper. Bring the point at the top, where the two flaps meet, straight down to the center line crease.

9. Rotate the plane around so the nose is pointed down and slightly to the left. Keep the flaps just created on the top side.

10. Fold the right point of the right triangular flap down so it hits the point at the tip of the nose. When folded correctly, the left edge of the new flap will line up with the center line crease.

11. Fold the left point of the left triangular flap down so it hits the point at the tip of the nose. When folded correctly, the right edge of the new flap will line up with the center line crease.

12. Fold the right point of the right, top-most triangular flap over so it hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the left edge of the new flap will line up with the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

13. Fold the left point of the left, top-most triangular flap over so it hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the right edge of the new flap will line up with the center line crease. Unfold after the crease has been made.

14. Rotate the paper around so the nose is pointed up and to the right. Keep the flaps just created on the top.

15. Fold the two long triangular flaps in towards the center line crease. This will form a new crease in the center of the small diamond shape. When folded correctly, the inside edges of the long triangular flaps should line up with the center line crease and a small flap should stick up.

16. Fold the small flap, sticking out of the plane's main body, down towards the nose tip. When folded correctly, the right edge of the flap should line up with the center crease.

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

18. Fold the two long triangular flaps in towards the center line crease. This will form a new crease in the center of the small diamond shape. When folded correctly, the edges of the long triangular flaps should line up with the center line crease and a small flap should stick up.

19. Fold small flap sticking out of the plane's main body down towards the nose tip. When folded correctly, the left edge of the flap should line up with the center line crease.

20. Rotate the plane around so the nose is pointing down and to the right.

21. Fold the nose down leaving the two small flaps created previously in place. Make a crease so it is in line with the creases made to fold down two small, top-most flaps (which are remaining in place). Fold the nose all the way down so it hits the plane's main body.

22. Fold the plane exactly in half along it's center line crease. Be sure to line up the two wing flaps for good balance.

23. Rotate the plane around so the nose is pointed to the left and the wing flaps are pointed up.

24. Make a crease to create the first wing flap. The left point of the crease should be just above the nose. The crease should be even with the bottom edge of the fuselage and should be about one finger width.

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

26. Make a crease to form the second wing flap. Be sure to line up the wing flaps for good balance.

27. Flip the plane over so the wing flaps are pointed down and the nose is is pointed to the left.

28. Make a crease to create a vertical stabilizer on the wing tip. The size of the stabilizer is not too important but should be about one finger width wide. Be sure the crease is even and horizontal across the plane's wing tip.

29. Flip the plane over so the wing flap with the tip just folded down is underneath.

30. Make a crease to create a vertical stabilizer on the wing tip. Be sure the vertical stabilizers for each wing are the same size, this is important to maintain good balance.

31. Open the wing flaps and the vertical stabilizers. Adjust the dihedral angle to be flat or slightly down.

THE THROW: A piece of tape across the midsection will help with flight stability. Make sure the vertical stabilizers are straight up with respect to the wings. Add no elevator since this will cause a stall. Launch with a soft throw at a slight up angle. Harder throws will cause this craft to stall. If the plane tends to roll, adjust the dihedral angle downward and adjust the vertical stabilizers.