Paper for paper airplanes
Paper airplane paper: start with smooth 75 to 80 gsm copy paper. Compare stiffness and weight. Find the best paper for your airplane with a fair trial.
Weight: start with copy paper
Gsm means grams per square metre. US 20 lb bond is about 75 gsm; 24 lb bond is about 90 gsm. The word “bond” matters: 20 lb in a different paper grade can mean a different weight.
Try the lighter sheet first. If its wings bend during a launch, compare a slightly heavier sheet of the same size. Extra mass also adds weight, so a heavier plane does not automatically go farther.
Stiffness: wings should hold their shape
Weight and stiffness are different. Two papers with the same gsm can feel quite different in your hand. Choose a sheet that stays fairly flat when held at one edge and does not spring open after creasing.
Thin tissue can sag; thick cardstock makes the nose bulky. Smooth printer paper is a useful middle ground for the dart. Keep the corners aligned and press each crease before moving on.
Size: Letter and A4 both work
Letter measures 8.5 × 11 inches (215.9 × 279.4 mm). A4 measures 210 × 297 mm: it is narrower and longer. Keep the rectangle for this airplane; do not trim it to a square.
The dart lesson is drawn with Letter proportions. Use the same edge-to-centre folds on A4; the finished proportions will differ slightly. Keep sheet size unchanged when comparing paper weights.
Fold the classic dart →Compare two sheets fairly
Fold the same dart from two papers of the same size. Label them A and B. Use one thrower, one launch line and a calm indoor space. Alternate five flights of each and measure to the first landing.
Compare the average distance and note whether a wing bends or the nose opens. Choose the sheet that gives you repeatable flights before trying a stronger launch.