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 open it.
This is your guide line.
02
Fold the top corners in
Bring the top-right corner down so the top edge lies on the center crease.
Edges meet exactly on the crease.
03
And the left corner
Same thing on the left.
Now it looks like a house.
04
Fold the edges in again
Fold the right slanted edge in to the center crease.
Keep the point sharp.
05
And the left edge
Same on the left.
The edges meet on the crease.
06
Fold it in half
Fold in half along the crease with the flaps inside.
Press from nose to tail.
07
Fold down the first wing
Fold the top layer down on a slant: ¾ in (2.0 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: 2.0 cm (¾ 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.
08
Turn it over
Flip the plane over.
Nose pointing away.
09
Fold down the second wing
Fold this wing down on the same slant as the first one.
Compare the wings: an unequal pair is the usual cause of a turn.
10
Open the wings
Open the wings flat with a small upward Y.

Check the shape

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

Hold the closed plane against a light background to compare both outlines. The broad wings make an unequal crease easy to spot.

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 under the body and give it a gentle, level push.

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 Starter will fly.

More pointed darts

Two pairs of diagonal folds stack the layers into a sharp nose. It is the sequence most people already half-know, which makes it the easiest place to learn symmetry, and the stunt setups start from this body too.