Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 1 Ready for Take Off! Page 2 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 Table of Contents 3 Letter from the Editor 6 History of the World Record Paper Airplane Ken Blackburn tells a story on how he created the world record paper airplane. 10 How I set the Guinness World Record This article, also written by Ken Blackburn, ex- plains how he set the Guinness World Record. 11 The Basics of Folding This article introduces the reader to the basics of paper airplane folding. 12 Folding and Flying Your Planes Almost anyone can make paper airplanes, but it helps to know a little bit about them. This article will teach you how to achieve great flights from the start. 14 Setting Up a Paper Airplane Contest This article provides guidelines for setting up paper airplane contests plus… 16 A special section including step- by-step instructions on folding paper airplanes for both novices and advanced folders. Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 3 Paper Airplane A Workmen Publication Nick Robinson Editor in Chief Alison Fortney Art Director Ken Blackburn Writer at Large Troy Underwood Associate Editor Contributing Editors Jeff Lammers Keith Laux Associate Art Director Bob Stocki Student Intern Howdy Doody Production Vickie Bales John Kenzie Tom Kadzielawski Jennifer Jezler Nolan Chan Member, American Society of Magazine Editors ASME works to preserve editorial independence and speaks out on public policy issues, particularly those pertaining to the First Amendment. Paper Airplane Magazine (Vol. 1, No. 2, January 2013; ISSN 0362-4595) is published monthly by Paper Airplane Magazine, Inc., 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, 312-222-1234, fax 312-456-7890, a division of Work- men Publications. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions, $24 per year. Single copy: $4.95. 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From the Editor Man’s desire to fly dates back design on earth. Many hundreds because paper aircraft remind us to the earliest times, from the of thousands must have been of the carefree days of our youth, legendary Icarus and the 18th- made over the years by eager and the thrill of sending a dart century efforts of the Montgolfier schoolchildren and by adults with higher and further than anyone Brothers, right up to the fateful a little time to spare. else. Despite its apparently trivial Thursday in 1903 when Wilbur No one knows exactly how old nature, creating paper aircraft and Orville Wright made the first the concept of a paper plane is, can be an exacting and time- heavier-than-air flight. but it is probably a 20th-century consuming activity. The designers of Nowadays, we take it for innovation. The folding of paper sophisticated aircraft know of the granted when aircraft fly at several aircraft has close links with the value of simple aerodynamics, as times the speed of sound with a art of origami (which literally displayed by a paper dart. computer in control, performing means “folding paper”). The growth This magazine is aimed at the most amazing acrobatics. of interest in paper flight in the anyone who has ever wanted to Yet, deep within us, there is still 1960s was probably an offshoot try their hand at tried and tested a fascination with all things that of the great technical and artistic paper aircraft, and it also includes are able to leave the earth behind. advances made in origami during one or two rather unorthodox Few of us have been able to watch that period. designs. No previous folding swallows swoop and five in the Most of the designs in this experience is needed. After trying evening sun without feeling a magazine have been created these examples, I hope you will touch of envy. by people who are primarily feel inspired not only to create This longing may be one paper-folders rather than aircraft your own designs, but to try other cause of our love affair with enthusiasts, but the appeal of subjects and discover the true and paper airplanes. The traditional paper aircraft transcends the lasting joy of paper-folding. dart is probably the most folded appeal of origami. Perhaps this is Nick Robinson, editor Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 5 History of the World Record Paper Airplane When I was about eight years With this goal in mind, I refined A Second Attempt old, I made one of my fre- my plane designs and worked on August of 1981 was the beginning quent trips to the aviation section my throw. Many people are suprised of four years of aerospace engineer- of the library in Kernersville, North to learn that I consider the throw to ing at North Carolina State Universi- Carolina, and checked out a book be almost as important as the plane ty. I lived on the sixth then the eighth that included instructions for a itself. The faster the throw, the high- floor, perfect airplane launching pads simple square paper airplane. I er the airplane toes and, therefore, (even though throwing objects from found that it flew better than the the longer the flight. dorm windows was strictly prohibit- paper darts I was used to making. In 1979, when I was a junior ed). I made planes from every paper Thrown straight up, it reached in high school, I made an official product available—from pizza boxes much higher altitudes. attempt at the world record. The re- to computer punch cards—in many To the dismay of my teachers, I fold- cord was described in the Guinness bizarre shapes, and soon infected the ed many of these planes, experiment- Book as time “over level ground,” so dorm with plane-flying fever. ing with changes to the original design. I chose the school’s baseball field as Still, it wasn’t until my junior year (One of the beauties of paper airplanes my staging ground. One afternoon, that my friends began encouraging is that they are perfectly suited to trial with my teachers as timers and a me to make another stab at the and error testing. If one doesn’t work, reporter on hand from the Win- world record, and I finally decided it’s cheap and easy to start over.) One of ston-Salem Jounal, I let my favorite to give it a try. I practiced several my designs would level off at the peak square plane fly. With the help of times at the school coliseum, keep- of its climb and then start a slow down- the wind, I made a flight of 24.9 ing the best plane from my sessions, ward glide. Sometimes, with the help seconds, and was sure I had flown nicknamed “old Bossy,” for the record of rising air currents, I achieved flights right into the pages of history. attempt. Old Bossy was regularly lasting nearly a minute and covering Unfortunately, the letter I received achieving times over 17 seconds, well about 1,000 feet. back from Guinness Superlatives, above the 15-second record. In 1977, I received a Guinness Ltd., wasn’t quite what I had hoped A friend arranged for a reporter Book of World Records as a gift. for. They informed me that the flight from the school newspaper to meet Naturally the first thing I turned to had to be performed indoors. us at the coliseum. I made a few was the aviation section. The paper The next year, I worked part- warm-up throws, and then reached airplane “time aloft” record was time at Reynolds Coliseum in for Old Bossy. With a mighty heave, I 15 seconds, set by William Pryor Winston-Salem, parking cars and sent the plan hurtling into the upper in 1975. It dawned on me that moving equipment. In my time off, reaches of the coliseum… and di- my planes (without help from the I had access to the largest indoor rectly into a cluster of speakers near wind) were flying at close to world paper airplane practice arena I the ceiling. I was devastated. My best record times. On my next outing, I would ever need. My best flights plane, Old Bossy, gone forever. timed the best flights. They weren’t yielded times of over 17 seconds, My roommate handed me a quite long enough to break the and I new the record was mine for piece of ordinary copier paper and I record, but with a little work I the taking, but I got sidetracked by quickly made another airplane. My thought I could do it. college applications. second throw with the new plane 1985 Guinness Book of World Records 1989 Guinness Book of World Records Paper Airplane Paper Airplane The flight duration for a paper aircraft The flight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 16.89 seconds by over level ground is 17.20 seconds by Ken Ken Blackburn in the Reynolds Coliseum Blackburn at the Mecca Convention Center, at NC State University, Raleigh, on Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 28, 1987. November 29, 1983. Page 6 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 was the best of the afternoon at Round Three As the plan came to a smooth si- 16.89 seconds. It eat the old record, With my best practice airplane lent landing on the floor, the official but I knew I could have done bet- packed in an old show box, I set yelled out, “17.20 seconds!” Yes, a ter with Old Bossy. I sent Guinness out on my all-expense-paid ex- new world record! I made two more the newspaper article, signatures travaganza to Milwaukee. It turned throws, but neither beat the record. of the witnesses, and Old Bossy’s out that Tony Feltch, the distance replacement. This time Guinness record holder for paper airplanes, Another Chance responded with the letter I’d been was also there, trying to beat his For a little while after my seg- waiting for. record, and that we’d be making ment aired I felt like a celebrity. our attempts in the Milwaukee Friends and relatives called me, and Many people are Convention Center. kids in my neighborhood wanted Tony went first and, after only a few me to autograph paper airplanes. surprised to learn that I throws, broke his old record, achieving But the excitement soon died down, consider the throw to be a distance of nearly 200 feet. Addition- and I went back to my normal life. almost as important as al filming and interviews with Tony Still, I continued modifying and the plane itself. dragged on for hours, leaving me on flying my paper airplanes. In 1990, the sidelines, sweating bullets. I fine-tuned my planes, built up my Finally, it was my turn. I picked arm, and achieved several 20-sec- After graduation, I went to work out my best plane from practice, ond flights (which, of course, no for an aerospace company—Mc- and got the nod from the producer one was around to see, much less Donnell Douglas in St. Louis, that the cameras were rolling. I officially record). Missouri. In the summer of 1987, heaved the airplane upward, and In 1994, I received another I was finishing a job on the F-18 watched it float down. The official surprise call from a TV program; Hornet, when I got an unexpected called out a time of 15.02 seconds. this time it was from a British show call from California. A television I concentrated harder on my sec- called Record Breakers. They want- production company was putting ond throw, but was again rewarded ed to know if I’d be willing to reset together a series featuring people with a time of only 15.47 seconds. the world record again in a month attempting to break world records. Suddenly it struck me that I might in New York City. I enthusiastically Would I be interested in trying to not be able to reset the record. agreed and immediately started reset my record? I didn’t have to Even in good condition, my arm working out in preparation. I was for- think long before replying with a lasts for only a couple of world tunate enough to find a trainer who definite yes. The filming was only record throws in any one day. was also the pitcher for a college a few weeks away and I usually I made my third throw with ev- baseball team and could help me needed at least a month to get my erything I had. (I estimate that these strengthen my 30-year-old arm. throwing arm in shape, so I started throws leave my hand at a speed February 17 found me standing practicing immediately. close to 60 miles per hour.) The next to an enormous DC-10 in launch seemed better, but the stop- American Airlines Hangar Number watch would be the final judge. 10 at JFK Airport, the chosen place 1996 Guinness Book of World Records Current Guinness World Record Paper Airplane Paper Airplane The flight duration for a paper aircraft The flight duration for a paper aircraft over level ground is 18.80 seconds by over level ground is 27.6 seconds by Ken Blackburn at American Airlines Ken Blackburn at the Georgia Dome in Hangar 10, JFK Airport, Queens, NY, Atlanta, October 8, 1998. February 17, 1994. Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 7 for the attempt. I walked up to the and Andy Currey, continued working narrower until I found just the right plane and looked in awe at the on their planes and set a new record width. Third, I added crease marks on 200-foot-long, 100-million-dollar of 20.9 seconds on July 28, 1996. The the wings which, like the dimples on backdrop for my 5-inch-long folded record did not appear in the Guin- a gold ball, reduced the drag. piece of paper. I had an enthusiastic ness Book until the 1998 edition. I started by practicing indoors in crowd of conlookers consisting of That January, I glanced through a order to get consistent flying times. the hangar’s maintenance crew and freshly printed copy and discovered My primary flying site was a large other personnel, all waiting to see to my horror that I had been dis- assembly area at Boeing—where the world record broken. placed. I had to get my record back. I’d also practiced for my 1994 and The cameras began to roll. I I knew it would take at least six 1996 records—but I quickly ran felt confident, but more nervous months of daily preparation to have into problems. It was being used than I’d expected. My first throw a chance of resetting the record. for the final assembly of the navy’s bombed as a result of a poor My plan was to construct and test newest fighter, the F/A-18E/F, launch. During my second throw, I between five and ten planes a week. which meant there wasn’t enough concentrated on good form, giving Initially, I tried radical changes to space, and the 60-foot ceilings it everything I had to offer. The my design, progressively narrowing were also proving to be too low. launch felt a lot better. The plan in on the best paper airplane design My best flights often hit the ceiling, started a slow turn to the left, for a record attempt. I also started and I lost some of my best planes narrowly avoiding a collision with working with a professional athletic forever when they lodged on top of the DC-10’s tail. I could tell it was trainer, Dorri Buckholtz, focusing on beams or ventilation ducts. So I be- a good flight, but only the timer strengthening my arm. She was ex- gan practicing outside, but weather would know exactly how good. tremely helpful, giving me detailed and air currents made it difficult to When he called out 18.8 sec- instructions for exercises designed determine the exact flight perfor- onds, everyone began to clap. I had to improve my throwing speed. mance of each plane. I knew my forgotten the thrill of setting a Despite my new designs, I had the best planes were flying just over record, and was running on adrena- most luck with the original model 20 seconds, but by how much? line for hours afterward. I’d invented as a kid (the one that’s Finding a facility for attempting included with this article). But I did the record was another challenge. Surpassed — Briefly find a few ways to make the plane Through the help of a family friend, In 1996 the BBC invited me to try fly better and more consistently. First, I eventually secured the Georgia to reset my record, this time on live it’s important to keep the folds as flat Dome (home of the Atlanta Fal- TV in London with 20 other teams as possible, which I did by pressing cons), and a date of October 8th, competing. I won the contest with a each fold with the side of a pen 1998, was set. Not only did I have a flight time of 17.3 seconds, but unbe- as I constructed the plane. Second, facility of my dreams, but the staff knownst to me, after the event two I experimented with making the also agreed to give me an extra of the other contestants, Chris Edge folds both a little wider and a little day in the dome to practice before The world record throw, 1998 Ken Blackburn demonstrating the world record throw Page 8 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 I attempted the record! terproof, crushproof paper airplane After a small adjustment, another hangar) and headed down to the good flight, 23.1 seconds! Throw Atlanta Georgia Dome. As I approached number four was another dud, but Guinness requires media coverage, the dome, the clouds appeared to number five had a great launch videotape, and photographs, as well be lifting, so I hoped the humid- and was 24.2 seconds! Just think, as the record corroborated by two ity wouldn’t be a problem. When only five minutes earlier I thought designated officials known as “Scru- I walked indoors, both CNN and I might not be able to beat the tineers.” Organizing all this at a loca- the local news crews were there record! Throw number six was a tion 500 miles from home was quite to greet me. I made some practice dud, and throws seven and eight a challenge, but with the help of my throws to warm up my arm and to were both a little short, and throw sister, Jackie Tyson, and the publisher allow the media some close-up nine was another dud. This was of this magazine, everything came views of my launch. While I waited my last throw—I gave it all I had. together—now all I had to do was go for everyone else to arrive, I met This time it was a great throw, and ahead and set the record! the Scrutineers, went over the it had a great transition to slow Wednesday, October 7th, was my rules, and showed them my planes. flight. When it landed I knew it practice day. Words can’t describe Then it was show time. was a long flight, but loner than how overwhelming it was to have 24.2 seconds? I heard the time as one of the largest rooms in the The Final Attempt I walked over to retrieve my plane: world silent and still, just for me! The rules allow just ten offi- 27.6 seconds! YES! Better than I But there was one problem. It was cial throws, so first I took out my had ever hoped or dreamed. With raining, and with the dome’s venti- best plane from the day before luck, help, and hard work, the sum- lation turned off, the humidity had and fine-tuned it until it flew just mit had been reached! filtered indoors as well. It wasn’t a right and the practice times ex- I submitted the necessary ma- complete show stopper, but it was ceeded 20 seconds. I made sure terials to Guinness, and I received affecting my planes. After an hour the Scrutineers were ready, and I notification from them on April of testing, only two planes had took the field for my first official 30th, 1999, that my record had be- flown beyond the existing record, flight. I gave it my best throw—it come official. I may now be retired and both by less than a second! By flew erratically, but still it looked from setting records—but who the end of the day, I was somewhat good. I waited nervously for the knows what the future might hold. satisfied I could break the record, official time from the Scrutineers. but only if the humidity didn’t 21.3 seconds—a new record! What increase further. a relief. Nonetheless I decided I Thursday, October 8th, start- would use all my available throws ed out cloudy and very humid. I to make sure to get the best time grabbed my Rubbermaid contain- possible. The second throw went ers (Rubbermaid makes a great wa- straight up—and straight down. The world record Throwing a paper airplane paper airplane in a stadium Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012 – Page 9 How I Set the Guinness World Record by Ken Blackburn airplane had flown over a level Most people don’t think they surface was 15.0 seconds. I soon GUINNESS GUIDELINES can set a world record. I know. realized my paper airplanes would Here are the rules for setting a I used to think that way, too. I start- fly nearly that long, so I set a goal Guinness World Record for paper ed making paper airplanes just to try to break the world record. airplane time aloft: for the fun of it when I was about After a year of practice and 1. The flight must take place seven years old. Over the years, I fine-tuning, I gathered my friends, indoors. improved my planes and eventual- teachers, and a newspaper reporter 2. The plane must be made from a single sheet of paper that is no ly landed in the Guinness Book of for a record attempt. My plane flew longer than 9.84 by 13.90 inch- World Records. for almost 25 seconds! I was elated es (250 x 353 mm) and weighs I have always loved airplanes, until Guinness informed me the no more than 5 ounces (150 and as a kid I made lots of model record had to be set indoors. Setting grams). Typing or copier paper airplanes. I enjoyed flying them, the record had to wait. I needed to works great. but didn’t like the expense, the find a large enough building to do it 3. 3. It’s OK to use some tape or building time, and the eventual in, and I also needed to practice and glue. tree landing or crash. While brows- improve my throw. 4. 4. The plan must be thrown ing in the library one day, I discov- At 20, I was studying to become from level ground. The stop- ered several books that showed an aerospace engineer at North watch must start when you release the plan, and end when me how to make some great paper Carolina State University. I told the plane touches anything (the airplanes. I found the best-flying some friends about my “almost” re- floor, a wall, a chair…). planes were the square-looking cord, and they decided they would 5. 5. You’re allowed six attempts. ones. I also learned that the real help me try again. They timed my 6. 6. You must submit the follow- secret to making paper airplanes flights and arranged for a reporter ing to file a record claim: fly well is the small adjustments to cover the event. • Signed statements from two you make once you’ve flown the After a month of practice, we witnesses saying that they planes a few times. gathered at my college’s basket- saw you set the record. Soon I was flying lots of paper ball arena for the attempt. With • A newspaper clipping about airplanes. They flew well, were a camera and a stopwatch ready, the event. • Color photographs and a quick to make, and were just I threw my best plane as hard as continuous video of the about free. I improved my planes I could into the upper reaches of flight (you must have both). by studying anything I could find the building, only to watch it glide NOTE: It is not required that a about real airplanes, then making into a cluster of speakers. My best Guinness representative be present. changes to my paper models. I plane, gone forever! even started coming up with my One of my friends found a sheet own plane designs. of copier paper, and I quickly folded When I was 13 years old, I de- another plane. My third throw with signed a new plane that flew really this new plane was the best at well. I could throw it very high 16.89 seconds—a new record! After FAST FACT outdoors and watch the wind carry a couple of nervous weeks, the let- The world’s largest paper it as it slowly glided to the ground. ter I wanted arrived—Guinness ap- airplane on record had a It soon became my favorite plane, proved the record! After five years, I wing span of 45 feet 10 and I worked constantly to improve had finally reached my goal. inches. It was built by it. Since then I have been able When I was 15 years old, my to reset my record twice—first at students and faculty at Delft parents gave me a Guinness Book 17.2 seconds, then at 18.8 seconds, University of Technology of World Records as a gift. I quickly where the record stands today. I in the Netherlands, and on turned to the section with aircraft have had flights of up to 21 sec- May 15, 1995, they flew it records. Among the records was onds in practice sessions, so maybe 114 feet indoors. one for paper airplanes. It stat- I’ll try again. I’d like to break the ed that the longest time a paper 20-second barrier. Page 10 – Paper Airplane Magazine, Winter 2012