How to Build a Glider

Gliders are easy-to-build, small aircrafts that require only a simple hand toss to get airborne. You can build these aircrafts out of materials ranging from Styrofoam to wood. Here are some basic instructions for building a simple foam or balsa glider aircraft.

Instructions

A Styrofoam Glider

1. Visit NASA's website for a template of a glider you can make out of a Styrofoam tray. Print and cut out the pieces for the pattern, and tape them onto the tray. Trace the pieces with a knife to cut them out of the foam.

2. Smooth any rough edges with an emery board. Cut slots into the middle of the main body and the tail section of the glider aircraft. Slide the wing and stabilizer pieces through the slots, fitting them evenly through the holes.

3. Toss the glider to see how it flies. If it doesn't fly well, add paper clips to the front or the nose of the aircraft for added weight.

A Wood Glider

1. Go to the website of the Society of Women Engineers to get two balsa wood patterns for a glider. Choose from a straight wing glider or a sweptback wing version.

2. Cut the pattern and place the airplane pieces on a sheet of balsa wood. Trace around the cut outs with a craft knife. Since the patterns here are designed for several types of materials, make the slots for the wing piece and the stabilizer a little smaller than they're shown on the pattern.

3. Sand the rough edges of all the cut pieces. Add a small drop of wood glue to the tail section and the middle of the fuselage to keep the wing and the stabilizer in place. Ensure they're even in their slots before you glue them.

4. Perform a test flight of your glider aircraft. If it doesn't fly well, add some weight to the nose of your glider. You can use paper clips, or you can glue a penny or some other small object to it.

Resources

• Find two balsa glider patterns at the Society of Women Engineers.
• Download a foam glider pattern from NASA.
• Go to Seeds2Learn for information and patterns for gliders.