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How to fold an origami paper plane

The classic dart plane from a sheet of printer paper. Fold the nose twice, fold in half, then fold the wings down and open them out.

You need: 1 sheet of A4 or Letter paper. Medium, 9 steps, about 4 minutes.

Steps

  1. Crease the centre line. Fold in half lengthwise, crease, then unfold.
  2. Fold the top corners in. Fold both top corners so their top edges lie along the centre crease.
  3. Fold the edges in again. Fold the new slanted edges to the centre line, making a sharper point.
  4. Fold in half. Fold the left half over onto the right half, keeping the flaps inside.
  5. Turn it sideways. Rotate the plane so the nose points left and the fold is at the bottom.
  6. Fold the first wing down. Fold the top layer down along a line about a third of the way up from the bottom fold, parallel to it. The wing reaches past the bottom edge.
  7. Fold the second wing. Mountain-fold the back layer the same way, behind.
  8. Open the wings. Lift both wings until they stick out level, with a slight upward V. The body stays pinched together underneath.
  9. Throw it. Lift it to shoulder height and throw it firmly and level, straight ahead.

Ready for take-off!

Fetch it and throw it again. If it dives, bend the back edges of the wings up a little.

How to fly it

  1. Check that both wings stick out level with a slight upward V, and pinch the body together underneath.
  2. Hold the body underneath between thumb and finger, near the middle or a little in front of it.
  3. Raise it to shoulder height and throw it firmly and level, straight ahead, with a smooth push rather than a flick.
  4. If it dives nose first, bend the back edges of both wings up a little. If it climbs and then drops, flatten them again.
  5. If it turns to one side, bend up the back edge of the other wing slightly.
  6. Never throw it towards anyone's face.

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