How to Make the Jack Knife Paper Airplane

The Jack Knife paper airplane has a short wingspan allowing it to withstand a fast throw better than paper airplanes with longer wings. According to the previous Guinness World Record holder for time aloft for airplane flight, Ken Blackburn, the best way to optimize time aloft for an airplane with a short wingspan is to throw it high and hard. Use heavy paper to make your airplane more stable in the launch phase of flight, and throw it straight up as high as you can in order to get the longest flight possible out of your Jack Knife paper airplane.

Things You'll Need

• 8.5- by 11- inch sheet of printer paper

Instructions

1. Fold an 8.5- by 11-inch piece of printer paper in half lengthwise. Crease the fold well and reopen the paper.

2. Fold the top right corner of the paper so one edge lies even with the center crease. Crease the fold well and leave it folded.

3. Fold the top left corner of the paper so one edge lies even with the center crease. Crease the fold well and leave it folded.

4. Fold the top triangle down starting an inch below the edges created in the previous folds. Crease the fold well and leave it folded.

5. Fold the top right corner in so one edge lies even with the center crease, crease the fold well and leave it folded. Leave a small triangular tab protruding from under the flap you just folded.

6. Fold the top left corner in so one edge lies even with the center crease, crease the fold well and leave it folded. Fold the tab up to secure these folds.

7. Turn the paper over then fold it in half. Fold down both wings starting an inch from the bottom of the plane.

8. Fold the tips of the wings up an inch away from the edge of the wing.

References

• YouTube: Lock-Back Jackknife
• Paper Airplanes: Paper Airplane Aerodynamics