Utilizing Advanced Aerodynamics to Create Efficient Paper Projectiles
Lyudong Yan, Junze Wu, Caitlyn Sheiko, Carson Thorton
Research Question:
How does changing the shape of a paper airplane wing affect how far it can fly?
Background:
The purpose of our experiment is to develop a paper airplane that can fly as far as possible. We
will be using only one piece of 8-inch by 11-inch (Letter-sized) printer paper, to create a paper
airplane. We will change the size and shape of the paper airplane’s wings to determine how the
paper airplane should be built. We will have 4 experimental groups. The first group will be a
short wing paper airplane with a wingspan of 10.7 centimeters. The second group will consist of
another short wing airplane, but with a wingspan of 8.7 centimeters, and 1 centimeter winglets
on each end. In the third group, we will test a large wing aircraft, with a wingspan of 18.6
centimeters. Lastly, the fourth group will have a plane with a wingspan of 16.6 centimeters, but
with 1 centimeter winglets on each side of the wing.
Hypothesis:
Our hypothesis is that the last experimental group, a large wing plane with winglets, will fly the
farthest. The reasoning behind this is that having large wings will lessen the rate at which the
plane drops, extending the range. The winglets would act as vertical stabilizers, making the
plane fly in a straight line.
Variables:
Independent Variable: Wing design of the paper airplane
Dependent Variable: How far the plane flies
Constants:
● Paper used (8 inch by 11 inch)
● Environment (Temperature, air density, humidity, etc,.) To keep these factors constant,
we will be conducting the experiments at the same location, and in a 10 minute window
of time.
● How hard the plane is thrown. To keep this variable constant, we will have one person
throw all airplanes with reasonable, and similar force.
● Length of the airplanes. All airplanes will be 24.9 centimeters in length.
Materials:
4 sheets of 8 inch by 11 inch letter paper
Small ruler (roughly 30 centimeters long)
Large meter stick (100 centimeters or more. Preferably measuring tape)
Sufficient area to conduct experiments. (A room approximately XXX centimeters/meters in
length, XXX centimeters/meters in height)
Chart to store data (# of trials x # of experimental groups)
Procedure:
1. Folding Paper Airplanes
a. Fold the paper in half lengthwise and unfold
b. Fold in corners on short side to meet the center line
c. Fold in short side corners again, to meet the center line
d. Fold the paper in half
e. Repeat the first 4 steps on 4 pieces of paper
f. For 2 airplanes, make wings that are 10.7 centimeters
g. For other 2 airplanes, make wings that are 18.6 centimeters
h. Make 1 centimeter winglets for 1 short wing and 1 large wing airplane
2. Testing the airplanes
a. Find an adequate space to test paper airplanes, and ensure uniform environment
for all experimental groups
b. Have a single person throw all trials with reasonable and similar force
c. Repeat each experimental group 5 times
d. Measure how far the airplane flies for each trial and compile into a chart
3. Drawing Conclusions
a. Find the average distance of each experimental group, and compare to find the
most efficient design
b. Receive reward of 1 USD
4. Risk/Ethical Assessment
a. Below minimum wage
Analysis
Raw data:
Plane type
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trials 5
Short wing
492 cm
491 cm
317 cm
467 cm
226 cm
Short wing w/
winglets
535 cm
596 cm
658 cm
555 cm
648 cm
Large wing
371 cm
309 cm
458 cm
321 cm
420 cm
Large wing
w/ winglets
579 cm
798 cm
652 cm
784 cm
469 cm
Processing Data:
Finding the mean of all trials in an experimental group
Formula: mean = Sum of data/# of data points
Presentation:
Flight Distance
Wing Type
Trial Number
Mean
Flight
Distance
1
2
3
4
5
Short wing
492 cm
491 cm
317 cm
467 cm
226 cm
398.6 cm
Short wing
w/ winglets
535 cm
596 cm
658 cm
555 cm
648 cm
598.4 cm
Large wing
371 cm
309 cm
458 cm
321 cm
420 cm
375.8 cm
Large wing
w/ winglets
579 cm
798 cm
652 cm
784 cm
469 cm
656.4 cm
Conclusions:
The plane with large wings with winglets flew the farthest, followed by short wings with winglets.
Short wing came in 3rd, with Large wing being last. The planes with winglets flew the farthest,
as they flew in straight lines. Large wings with winglets beat short wings with winglets, as the
larger wings provided more lift, allowing the plane to go further before falling to the ground. The
planes with winglets beat their winglet-less counterparts by an average of 241.5 centimeters.
This mostly matches the hypothesis we made. We had expected the Large wing with winglets to
win, but we underestimated how much the winglets helped the plane.
Other resources that support our data is:
Olson, Andrew PhD. "Why Winglets?" Science Buddies,
www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Aero_p013/aerodynamics-hy
drodynamics/why-airplanes-have-winglets. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.
This article supports how winglets affect how far a paper airplane flies.
Evaluation of Investigations:
Weaknesses:
Our plane kept hitting the walls of the space we were in. (hallway) This affected multiple
experimental groups, and swayed the outcome of the experiment. We had difficulty making the
planes without winglets fly without bumping the walls and slowing down.
Limitations:
We did not cover the other dimensions of the paper airplane, such as width, height, or mass.
Future research could help to determine how these factors affect the flight of the paper airplane.
Our experiment only consisted of 4 basic wing designs, and further research can cover other
wing designs, such as fat wing, for delta shaped wing. Other constants that could be changed
for additional data includes, but are not limited to: Environment and how hard the plane was
thrown.