Learn to fold.
Learn from the flight.
Choose your starting point. Every guide includes practical steps or observations to try with your own sheet of paper.
Every plane in the hangar
44 complete folding guides, including darts, gliders, winglets, reverse folds, and stunt setups.
- Start folding
How to fold a classic paper airplane
A complete classic dart tutorial: ten steps, a symmetry check, and a repeatable first throw.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold Nakamura Lock
A small triangle holds two corner flaps together. Follow 13 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Condor
Three rolls at the front build up a leading edge before you make the wings. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Needle
The extra pair of edge folds makes a narrower nose than the Dart. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Arrowhead
The pointed roof folds down before another pair of corner folds. Follow 11 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Starter
This version begins with corner folds and a second pair of edge folds before closing the body. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Hammer
Two downward front folds make the square nose. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Albatross
Start with the rolled front of the Condor, then add a wingtip fold on each side. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Loop-de-Loop
The underlying folds are those of a Dart; equal upward bends at the trailing edges create the stunt setup. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Boomerang
This turning setup uses different rear-edge bends on the two wings. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Bulldog
Fold the pointed nose back before closing the Dart body. Follow 11 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Heron
Two front rolls are followed by corner folds and the body fold. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Shark
A deeper body separates this design from the ordinary Dart. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Manta
The top half folds down first, shortening the working sheet. Follow 11 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Kestrel
Combine the Nakamura lock with two upright winglets. Follow 15 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Stingray
A broad nose-down fold precedes the inward corner folds. Follow 13 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Javelin
Begin with the repeated edge folds of the Needle, then fold the point back. Follow 13 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Night Hawk
The square nose comes from the Hammer sequence, while the wingtip folds add standing tips. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Barnstormer
The down-folded nose and inward corners produce the body; small equal rear-edge bends create its stunt trim. Follow 11 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Corkscrew
A Dart body receives opposing rear-edge bends and nearly flat wings. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Falcon
This Dart variant changes the wing crease to a slanted line. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Swift
Repeated Needle edge folds and swept wing roots make a slim outline. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Stealth
A double-folded square nose is followed by inward corners and swept wings. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Vulture
A rolled leading edge combines with inward front corners and slanted wing roots. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Raven
Use a Nakamura lock, then fold the tip strips and open them downward. Follow 15 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Hornet
The Bulldog nose fold and upright winglets share one uncut sheet. Follow 13 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Egret
A rolled front and inward corners combine with upright winglets. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Pelican
Start by doubling the sheet downward as for the Manta, then add the corner and edge folds. Follow 13 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Comet
The Needle sequence supplies the slim body; equal upward rear-edge bends provide the loop trim. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Stunt planes
How to fold the Orbit
A rolled-front glider uses deliberately unequal trailing-edge bends to turn. Follow 10 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Skylark
An inside reverse fold lifts the rear corner into a tail fin before the wings are folded. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Pebble
The sharp point reverses inward to make a pocket at the nose. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Reed
A rolled front is paired with a reverse-folded tail. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Lance
Repeated narrow edge folds lead to an inside-reversed nose. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Firecrest
Two separate inside reverse folds tuck the nose and raise the tail. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Tern
A reverse-folded tail and two upright winglets finish a Dart-style body. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Spire
The Needle body carries a tall rear reverse fold. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Kingfisher
The square-nose sequence gains both a rear fin and standing winglets. Follow 16 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Sailplane
The rolled front, inward corners, and broad wing roots are followed by a small upright tail made without cuts. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Pocket Jet
An inside-tucked point, slanted wing roots, and standing tips make the compact jet outline. Follow 14 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Buzzard
The initial point folds down, and the next edge folds cover it. Follow 11 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Gull
A rolled front and inward corners end in broad wings with downward tips. Follow 12 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Osprey
A Nakamura-style lock pairs with an upright rear reverse fold. Follow 15 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
- Plane folding guides
How to fold the Magpie
The square nose, upright tail, and downward tips each require their own orientation check. Follow 16 steps, check the shape, and plan your first flight.
Materials, flight fixes, and experiments
- Flight workshop
Why your paper airplane dives, stalls, or turns
Read the flight path, check the folds, and change one small thing at a time.
- Before you fold
Choosing paper for a paper airplane
Understand paper size, stiffness, grain, and weight before comparing your flights.
- Choose a design
Dart or glider: which paper airplane should you make?
Choose a plane around your goal, your space, and the way you want to throw it.
- Try an experiment
How to run a fair paper airplane flight test
A practical test plan with alternating throws, a recording table, and a worked scoring example.
- Understand flight
How a paper airplane flies without an engine
A plain-language explanation of lift, drag, weight, balance, and why a harder throw does not solve everything.