How to Make the Cheetah Paper Airplane

How to Make the Cheetah Paper Airplane

How to Make the Cheetah Paper Airplane
Difficulty:
Easy
Synopsis:
This easy to make little flyer can be made to do crazy aerobatics.

Instructions

1. Start with a medium to heavy weight square sheet.

2. Fold the paper exactly in half. Unfold after the crease has been made.

3. Fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the horizontal center line at the paper's outside edges. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper should line up with the center line crease.

4. Rotate the paper around so the flap just created is at the bottom. Fold the upper left and right points down so they hit the horizontal center line crease at the paper's outside edges. When folded correctly, the top edge of the paper should line up with the center line crease.

5. Rotate the paper around so the creases are vertical.

6. Fold the upper left corner down sot he upper left point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the left half of the top edge should line up with he center line crease.

7. Fold the right corner down so the upper right point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the right half of the top edge should line up with the center line crease.

8. Rotate the paper around so the nose points up and to the left.

9. Make a crease to fold the lower inside point of the left rectangular flap towards the outside edge. The points of the crease should be at the corners of the rectangular flap.

10. Rotate the paper around so the nose points up and to the right.

11. Make a crease to fold the lower inside point of the right rectangular flap towards the outside edge. The points of the crease should be at the corners of the rectangular flap.

12. Make a crease to fold down the point at the tip of the nose. The crease should be about one finger width below the line created by the triangular nose flaps.

13. 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.

14. Fold the upper right corner down so the upper right point hits the center line crease. When folded correctly, the right half of the top edge should line up with the center line crease.

15. Fold the triangular flap at the base of the nose section up so the point at the tip of the triangle hist the center line crease. This fold lock the nose flaps in place.

16. Flip the plane over and rotate it around so the flaps just created are underneath and the nose points to the right.

17. Fold the plane in half along the existing center line crease. Be sure the wing flaps are lined up for good balance.

18. Make a crease to create the first wing flap. The right point of the crease should be at the nose and the left point should be just below the point where the back edge of the fuselage hits the top-most wing flap.

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.

21. Flip the plane over so the wing flaps are pointed up and the nose is pointed to the right.

THE THROW: Adjust the angle of the vertical stabilizers and add up elevator until a balance is reached. Launch with a medium to hard throw at a slight up angle. When well trimmed it can also be launched almost straight up.