How to Fold the Best Paper Airplane in the World

People can make paper airplanes hundreds of ways. If you want to make a paper airplane that flies true, and takes little time to fold, all you need is a standard sheet of paper and a little bit of patience.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Making the Wing

1. Fold the top right corner of the longer side of a standard sheet of copy paper across the paper until it meets the opposite edge. Ensure the left edges of the paper line up. Crease the fold, open the paper and repeat with the opposite side, bringing the left corner across to the right side.

2. Open the paper to reveal a creased "X" shape and bring the top of the paper down so that the "X" is cut in half with the fold. Crease this fold and open the paper.

3. Bring the right and left sides of the paper together in the middle and press the upper portion of the paper down. Form a stacked triangle that makes the sheet of paper resemble a house. Crease the edges of the fold to force the triangle to stay in place.

4. Bend the top layer of each of the side corners of the triangle up to the top angle and crease into place. Take each side of the top layer of this newly formed square and fold it back on itself, splitting each side triangle into two, with the top corners meeting the bottom corners, and crease these folds.

5. Pull the top half of each side of this smaller square shape over on itself so the outside edge aligns with the center of the square. Crease each fold and reopen to the square shape. Rotate the paper and repeat the folds with the bottom half of each side of the square shape.

6. Pinch together the top and bottom halves of the square at the midline of each fold at the outside corners of the square. Slip the back edge of the piece pointing to the nose of the plane under the bottom edge of the piece that points to the body of the plane. Crease this fold in place and turn the entire paper over. Fold the top corner of the plane over onto the back of the plane at the point where the earlier folds separate.

Adding the Tail

7. Tear off the straight piece of the sheet of paper by folding the flat edge to meet the back of the wings. Crease the fold and moisten the crease with your tongue. Gently tear along the moistened fold to remove the strip of paper. Fold the strip in half lengthwise and open it back up to form a trough down the length of the paper.

8. Refold the paper along the midline crease and move your hands about two thirds of the way down the length of the paper. Tear each side of the paper half way to the fold. Open the fold and fold each side of the smaller section past the tear down toward the outside of the airplane to form a tail.

9. Hold the wing section of the plane and fold it in half so the tips of the wings meet. The back of the plane should be solid, with no flaps created by previous folds showing.

10. Fold each wing back down on itself at its middle and fold just the tip of each wing back up to form flaps. Insert the tail section into the center trough section of the entire wing piece to complete the best airplane in the world.