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        riddles >> general problem-solving / chatting / whatever >> Paper Airplane 'Building' 
        
(Message started by: Mugwump101 on Aug 10^th, 2006, 4:29am)

Title: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by Mugwump101 on Aug 10^th, 2006, 4:29am

Does anyone know how to build a proper and steady paper airplane that can guild farthest?? What are some important aerodynamics of paper airplanes and what make them good? Any model ideas???

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by towr on Aug 10^th, 2006, 5:20am

One thing that helps to optimize gliding, is using airpost paper (it's quite a bit lighter than regular paper, but still not too flimsy). And generally for gliding you'll want a wider than long design.

If it's just about getting furthest (rather than staying in the air the longest), I'd go with regular paper and a longer than wide design. Some sort of dart shape with a relatively heavy point.

To make them stable I usually use lots of vertical areas, but of course you'll have less wing area to carry the plane (which is bad for a glider, but not necessarily for distance). And you'll want to keep the center of gravity far enough under the wings (in flight).

The best advice I can give, is practice. Get a stack of paper, and just experiment with different designs; anything you can think of.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by BNC on Aug 10^th, 2006, 6:06am

Have you tried googling? This (http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/) is the first hit while searching "paper airplanes", and it seems to contain various designs, some with video.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by Mugwump101 on Aug 10^th, 2006, 2:00pm

Can you go in depth with what you mean by "vertical areas" and "Heavy Point" ?

Btw, I want to make a airplane to go further not necessarily glide, thanks for distinguishing the two.

Thanks a lot again and I'll check out the website.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by towr on Aug 10^th, 2006, 2:45pm

on 08/10/06 at 14:00:10, Mugwump101 wrote:

Can you go in depth with what you mean by "vertical areas"

Like wingtips, tailfins

Quote:

and "Heavy Point" ?

Well, just anything that makes the front heavier, by folding extra paper into it.
e.g. if you look at http://www.paperairplanes.co.uk/dragon.php
you have a typical paper plane at figure 3, but by folding the tip a few more times you get a much heavier tip and more stable plane.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by Icarus on Aug 10^th, 2006, 4:47pm

Every year, the local university here (and there is, by the way, more aeronautical expertise in this community than anywhere else on Earth) holds a paper airplane contest. For many, many years the winner in the distance contest was a fellow who was nicknamed "The Missile Man".... ;)

For endurance (longest air time), towr and BNC are leading you right.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by Mugwump101 on Aug 12^th, 2006, 7:30am

That's so cool. Which university?

Thank you so much Towr and BNC ;D , I won 8th place in the paper airplane contest at a local college science program although it was weird since it was the most conventional type of airplane. I did the Dragon too but it didn't fly as far as the basic one, possibly since I didn't throw it right.

My friend won second place and he used a more heavier point and wider type of plane. The first place model was a bullet kind of plane -yes as Icarus said a missile type. Isn't that bizarre? I guess that's the best type.

It's really fun, I think I'll try all kinds of types and great better at it.

Thanks so much, if you have any suggestive aerodynamic books or basic airplane books/websites, let me know.

Title: Re: Paper Airplane 'Building'
Post by Icarus on Aug 12^th, 2006, 11:35am

Wichita State University. More aircraft have been built in Wichita than anywhere else in the world, mostly due to my own employer, who is the giant in general aviation (i.e. private aircraft). We also have a strong presence by the giant of all aviation, and 2 other well-known aviation companies in town as well.

The result is that more aviation designers live here than anywhere else in the world.

As for why the missile is better for distance: the lift created by the wings of other paper airplanes is simply not enough to offset the losses due to the drag they also produce. When add in the control problems which cause the plane to often turn around and land short, the missile just works better.

But, again, there are different things paper airplanes can be judged by. Distance is one, endurance (air-time) is another, and missiles generally have low air-time.

Congrats on your high finish!