Paper AIrplanes: A Dying Art

Paper Airplanes: A Dying Art

By Shivani Persaud and Julia Igaunis

Paper airplanes have long been a staple of in-classroom activity, but sightings of these origami aircrafts have taken a nosedive.

Teachers and students alike enjoy the art of crafting paper airplanes. "They're a fun way to demonstrate flight and combine it with fun," says Mr. Rosenkrantz, a science teacher. Nevertheless, WMS has seen a downward spiral in the crafting of these planes. “I would say that the popularity of paper airplanes went down,” says an eighth-grader. Indeed, the general consensus on paper airplanes is that they have been fading quickly from our classroom culture. “Not many people use paper airplanes,” Elijah Oliphant, 8th grader, states. Will the paper airplane ever make a comeback? Well, it's hard to say. Due to the digitalization of much of students' schoolwork, people have little need for paper in this day and age.

The aerodynamics of a paper airplane plays a pivotal part in how it flies. Ideally, the plane would possess little drag and little weight. Paper airplanes also utilize the forces of lift and thrust. These several components decide the way in which a paper airplane will fly. Longer, pointier models will cut through the air easily and therefore fly farther, whereas stouter planes will display a much shorter and swerving path. In 2012, John Collins and Joe Ayoob set the world record for 'longest indoor flight' with a plane known as "Suzanne" 2012. It flew 226 feet, 10 inches.

Below is a visual representation of the steps to make the airplane model of "Suzanne."