Investigation Aerodynamics and Flight

Part 1 Your task is to design a paper airplane and test it to see how far it flies. It might help to read up on the four forces of flight for help with your design (lift, weight, thrust, and drag). Use the charts on the worksheet below to record your trial flights.

Make you first paper airplane and test it by flying it three times. Record each distance in feet (for an extra challenge convert the feet into inches). Next, change one thing you think will make it fly farther and test it with three more flights. Then, make one last change to your plane. Again complete three trial flights. Record all data. Analyze the data to see which plane design is the best. Now, make a second plane with the same design and see if it matches the flight distance of your first paper airplane. You could even do this as a competition with a friend remotely or a family member.

Part 2 Take your winning design and fly it outside. Does it go the same distance as it did inside? If not, why? Can you make changes that will enable it to fly farther outside than it did inside? What factors outside contribute to your plane flying farther or were obstacles to it flying farther? What did you learn about the four principles of flight that helped you make your plane better?

Part 3 For an extra challenge made the same airplane design using a different type of paper than your other plane. How did the change in weight effect the distance of its' flight? What type of paper do you think works best? What happens if you place a paperclip to the front or back of your plane? Write down your findings and share with a friend to see if they can duplicate your results.

Part 4 The world record distance for a paper airplane is 226 ft. 10 inches. Go outside and measure that distance. What could you compare that distance to: a football field, 4 school buses, a city block? Now take the longest distance one of your planes flew and compare it to the world record. How far off were you in feet, in meters?

Part 5 Watch the video of the Paper Plane Guy (John Collins, world record holder) and make his world record plane. Test it inside and outside. Did it fly farther than the one you designed? What was one difference between his plane and yours? Think about what he had to research and learn in order to make that one paper airplane fly that far. *Fun fact* Collins asked a quarterback to make the actual record breaking throw. Why do you think he did that?

The Paper Plane Guy shows you how to fold his world record plane: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDiC9iMcWTc

Below is information that might help you in your design process. An * indicates there is a video link when you click on the picture. I would love to see your work so send me an email with pictures attached so I can celebrate your success.