What Paper Airplane Flies the Farthest?
Rosalie Carlberg, Lewis Davis, Lesly Martinez, Tiffany Thrall,
Dr. Kiril Streletzky
Introduction
In this research project, we set out to test the flight
distances of different paper airplanes. Our goal was to
explore how the shape of a paper airplane can impact
the distance it can fly. By using standard printer paper
for each design and conducting our tests in an enclosed
place with little air movement, we were able to
eliminate some of the variables that could impact our
results. The plane designs were collected from a Choose
Ohio First cohort meeting where students made paper
airplanes using printer paper. We also added three
Guinness World Record paper airplane designs. Our
testing was done with eight total airplane designs.
Through this research, we hope to gain a better
understanding of aerodynamics.
Results
• Top flights (above 20ft): Tiffany #1, 122, and
Tiffany #3
o Tiffany #1 – smaller wing length
o 122 & Tiffany #3 – longer wing lengths
• Worst flights (below 18ft): Blue, and Dof
Errors
• How the plane landed, and where it exactly it
landed
• Differences in throwing
Figure 1: Choose Ohio First Cohort Folding Airplanes
Abstract:
Without the study of aerodynamics, airplanes cannot stay in the air, let alone make safe take-offs and landings. Science has come far enough to understand
that the shape of an airplane is important for creating optimal aerodynamics. Our group's research project focuses on paper airplanes and studying which
airplane shape enables the plane to fly further. We utilized paper airplanes of varying common models flown in an enclosed space to study the effect of
paper folding techniques and other parameters on the distance flown by the planes. The conclusion of this project will not only provide a design that helps
a paper airplane fly far with stability, but it will also supply information on what a real airplane should have to achieve better aerodynamics.
Conclusion
The main factors that contribute to the distance
traveled is the thrust that each member exhibits
on the plane when thrown and the shape of the
plane as it goes through the air. Based on the
average paper airplane distances in figure 3,
planes 122 and Tiffany #1 flew almost the same
distance. Despite the results, we think that a
dart-shaped plane should fly farther since it can
sustain more thrust. Long, narrow wings on real-
life airplanes reduces drag and enables it to fly
longer.
Figure 5: Our paper
airplanes
References
• Aerodynamics Explained by a World Record
Paper
Airplane Designer | Level Up | WIRED
• The Guinness Book of World Records. Stamford,
CT: Guinness Media, 1996 1997.
• Wing Aspect Ratio – Science Learning Hub
Acknowledgments
• Society of Physics Students
• Choose Ohio First
Methods
• Most of the paper airplanes were collected from the
Choose Ohio First cohort meeting.
• Rosalie and Lewis threw the planes.
• A measuring tape was used to measure the distance.
• Distances were based on initial ground landing, with a
± 6in. due to plane size.
How an airplane flies
• Forces on a plane: lift, thrust, drag, weight
(due to gravity)
• Coanda effect - air flow causes a downward push
on the back of the plane wing, lifting the plane up
Figure 4: Standard Deviation of Data
World
Record
Holders
DOF BLUE ETHICS 122 W ORANGE TIFFANY #1 TIFFANY #3
Plane Type
Average Paper Airplane Distance from Rosalie and Lewis
Distance (ft)
Lewis
Rosalie
25
20
15
10
5
0
Standard Deviation of Data
DOF BLUE ETHICS 122 W ORANGE TIFFANY #1 TIFFANY #3
DOF BLUE ETHICS 122 W ORANGE TIFFANY #1 TIFFANY #3
Standard Deviation σ
Plane Type
Rosalie
Lewis σ
Rosalie σ
Total σ
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Figure 2: Plane 122 Unfolded
Figure 3: Average Paper Airplane Distance from Rosalie and Lewis
