How to make a paper sailplane
Paper Sailplane: try all 9 steps in the 3D player. Turn and replay every move. Print the complete diagram sheet or save it as PDF.
An Origami Tutor sailplane: two long, shallow wings with a folded front edge, clipped tips and a weighted nose. Launched gently, it floats a long way on its wide span.
- You need
- One sheet of letter paper (A4 works too). No glue or scissors.
- Start
- Lay a sheet of letter paper in front of you, long edge at the top.
- Tips
- Crease the first fold sharply: that folded front edge is what keeps the long wings from bending.
- Launch it softly and level. If it dives, bend the back edges of both wings up a little.
Your model is ready
Hold the body under the nose and let the sailplane go with a gentle, level push.
Step-by-step diagrams
- 1
Crease the middle
Fold the paper in half from left to right, crease it, and open it again.
- 2
Fold the top down
Fold the top edge down to meet the bottom edge, and crease the fold sharply. This fold is the front edge of the wing.
- 3
Weight the nose
Fold the front edge down about an inch more, across the whole width.
- 4
Fold the left back corner up
Fold the bottom left corner up along a slanted line about two inches long, to clip the wingtip.
- 5
Fold the right back corner up
Fold the bottom right corner up the same way, so the two tips match.
- 6
Fold in half
Fold the plane in half along the center crease, with the front edge on the outside.
- 7
Fold the first wing down
Fold the top wing down along a line half an inch from the body's fold and parallel to it.
- 8
Fold the second wing behind
Fold the other wing back along the same line, so it matches the first.
- 9
Spread the long wings
Open both long wings away from the body, keeping the folded front edge and clipped tips closed. Leave a shallow, even V with both wingtips a little above their roots. Then turn the plane upright, keel below.
- ✓
Finish
Hold the body under the nose and let the sailplane go with a gentle, level push.
Fold next
Paper airplane ↗
The classic dart: a sheet of letter paper, a sharp nose and two wings, ready to fly across the room.
Easy paper airplane ↗
An Origami Tutor paper airplane with the fewest folds: two corners, one fold in half and two wings. A good first plane for kids, with broad wings that glide gently.
Paper glider ↗
An Origami Tutor paper glider with a blunt nose and broad, straight-tipped wings. Thrown gently, it floats slowly across the room instead of darting.
Distance dart ↗
An Origami Tutor distance dart: a slim dart whose point is folded down to lock the nose folds, so the weight sits up front and the nose stays shut on a hard, long throw.