How to make paper airplanes

The swallow is one the most popular paper airplane. There are some variations, but the basic features are the same on all models. Often the Swallow type of paper airplane is built without the Swallow tail. These models have larger wings , their gliding capability is great.
The folding of the head is the secret of the success of this model I think. The head is stronger and the weight of the paper plane is very well balanced. The swallow glides slower and longer than other models.

This paper airplane is built in a few quick and easy steps. It has a dynamic arrow form with relatively small wings. This paper airplane flies best indoors. It is relatively fast and can go a long way. Typically it will glide in a flat straight downward line.

I have done an illustrated template for the S93 which is here for free download. The template is in A4 size proportions, but it can be printed on other paper formats too. . As office printers cannot print to the very edge of a paper sheet you have to cut off the white space that is typically left by office printers around full page pictures before starting with the folding steps that are illustrated with a video and pictures in the next two chapters.

You can download the templates of TOP- and BACK-side as JPG-files by "right mouseclick and save as " on the images below.


Depending on your printer model there might be some test prints necessary to find out the best way to print the back side in best match with the top side of the template. I have used an HP Laserjet 3600. This printer leaves a small white border around the printed area. Unfortunately the width of this border is not 100% the same on right and left border of the upright page. Therefore I have to print the Back-Template not in the same direction as the TOP-template, but in an 180 degrees rotated position. In order to get the bottom of the TOP and BACK-Template in the right position one has to turn the TOP-Template which is printed first by 180 degrees too before this sheet is put into the printing position in the printer again. After that the Back-Template can be printed, but the image has top be rotated by 180 degrees.
As soon as you try out to print the paper plane you will understand quickly what I try to explain here. However it might well be that all this is not necessary with your own printer model.

A popular non-brand creation by edition handdruck: CHAFFINCH AIRWAYS

Chaffinch Airways
bird logo shirt

Chaffinch Airways
bird logo shirt

Chaffinch airways
bird logo shirt

The paper air plane Ken Blackburn used in his world record flights is based on a fairly simple but very efficient folding design.
The looks of that plane is not spectacular and I wondered how this plane could fly so well until I tested it myself with the help of a free template for download at Origami-Kids.com (Link to the paper plane at Origami Kids)

The weight of the plane is balanced very well. The tip is relatively heavy which helps a lot to throw the plane high up into the air. The highe one can throw this plane the longer it will glide. The better the balance the flatter the curve will be and the longer the plane will stay in flight.

Takuo Toda developed the Sky King which topped Ken Blackburns record with 0.3 seconds. I folded such a plane from an A$ paper sheet according to the instructions given in a wired video on livehacker.com (link to video hot to fold the Sky King paper airplane)



Folding the nose of this plane is a bit more difficult. The beginning steps are the same as in the S93 paper air plane, but the nose really makes for the special properties of this modell. Both world record modells have a rather flat nose and the design maximises the wing area in comparison to the body. Also the Sky King is a great glider which comes down to the ground in slow movement.