You need one uncut sheet of printer paper, short edge at the top. No scissors, tape or clips. Measurements are rounded to the nearest ⅛ inch, as in the app.

moves fold line where it lands Diagrams are drawn on Letter and zoom in after the fold in half; the bar in each corner is 1 inch. Tap a diagram to watch the fold.

Fold it step by step

01
Crease down the middle
Fold the sheet in half the long way, press, and unfold it.
Start with the colored side facing DOWN.
02
Fold the top edge down
Fold the top edge down 1⅜ in (3.6 cm).Fold the top edge down 3.9 cm (1½ in).
Keep it straight across.
03
Roll it again
Fold that strip down again, the same width.
The roll stacks extra layers along the front edge.
04
And once more
One more roll.
Press it flat.
05
Turn it over
Flip the paper so the strip is underneath.
Strip at the top, away from you.
06
Fold the top corners in
Fold the top-right corner down so the top edge lies along the center crease.
This stacks extra layers at the front.
07
And the left corner
Same on the left: a pointed nose.
The two edges meet on the crease.
08
Fold it in half
Fold in half along the crease with the strip on the outside.
Match the front corners.
09
Fold down the first wing
Fold the top layer down on a slant: 1½ in (3.8 cm) from the center fold at the nose, ½ in (1.3 cm) from it at the tail.Fold the top layer down on a slant: 3.8 cm (1½ in) from the center fold at the nose, 1.3 cm (½ in) from it at the tail.
The crease slants: farther from the center fold at the nose than at the tail. Measure both ends.
10
Fold the wingtip back
Fold the tip of this wing back over, ⅝ in (1.5 cm) in from its edge.Fold the tip of this wing back over, 1.5 cm (⅝ in) in from its edge.
This becomes a winglet.
11
Turn it over
Flip the plane over.
Nose pointing away.
12
Fold down the second wing
Fold this wing down on the same slant as the first one.
Make both wings match.
13
Fold the other tip back
Fold this wingtip back the same amount.
Both winglets the same size.
14
Open the wings and stand the tips up
Open the wings flat, then stand both wingtips straight up.

Check the shape

From behind: this is the view to compare with your plane.

Match the widths of the two tip strips. A taller or twisted tip on only one side introduces another variable when you test straight flight.

Before you open the wings, hold the plane closed against a window: both wing outlines should cover each other. Fix an unequal wing crease before reaching for trim.

First flights

Launch: Hold it lightly near the middle and release it gently, nose just above level.

Rolled edge. The rolled strip is the stiff front of the wing. If it starts to unroll at one end, re-press it; a loose roll changes one wing more than the other.
Upright winglets. Hold the body, not a tip. After each landing, stand both winglets back to the same height.

If it misbehaves

Dives straight down: Release level, then bend both back edges up a hair.
Climbs, then drops: Flatten those bends a little; throw nearer level.
Always turns one way: Compare the wings first. Then bend the edge on the inside of the turn down, or the outside edge up, very slightly.

Full troubleshooting guide →

The app can fly this plane in a simulator. Its distances and paths are simulation output; this page makes no claim about how far a hand-folded Albatross will fly.

More rolled leading edges

Instead of a point, the top edge is rolled down two or three times into a stiff strip. The wings stay broad, and the rolled edge becomes the front of each wing.