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If you make a trick paper airplane correctly, then you'll have a creation that can fly for long periods of time, return to you like a boomerang, or even do flips. If you want to know how to make a trick paper plane in no time at all, just follow these steps.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making a Simple Trick Paper Airplane

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Fold an 8 ½ in x 11 in (21.5 cm by 28 cm) piece of paper in half lengthwise.
    Using plain printer paper is best -- if you pick paper that is thicker, it will fall too easily, and if you pick thinner paper, it won't be able to gather enough momentum to really fly. After you fold the paper, run your finger along the crease to secure it.
  2. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Just unfold the piece of paper the same way you folded it. Make sure the crease is prominent and runs all the way down the paper.
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  3. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    You should create two similar right triangles with edges that meet right along the line of the crease. They should be as close to the same size as possible.
  4. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    The tip of the top corner should move down to touch the bottom of the edges where the two triangles meet.
  5. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Fold the paper in half lengthwise just as you did in the beginning. Fold it along the same crease. You can reinforce the crease again, if you like.
  6. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Once the paper is folded in half, grab one side by the outer edge of the diagonal part and fold it over toward the middle crease, so that you see a small triangle with a bottom edge that touches the middle crease. Turn the paper over and do the same on the other side. You will create a long, rectangular shape with triangles on either side of the plane. Try to make the handle .4 inches (1 cm) long at most.
  7. How.com.vn English: Step 7 Hold the airplane by the handle and fly it.
    Grab the airplane by the handle in the middle and gently throw it upward. You'll see that this plane creates loops instead of flying straight ahead. Keep playing with it -- experiment to see how throwing the plane faster or slower affects the movements of the plane.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making a Trick Paper Airplane

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  1. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Using plain printer paper for this trick paper airplane is best. If you pick paper that is thicker, it will fall too easily, and if you pick thinner paper, it won't be able to gather enough momentum to really fly. It's important to be precise when you try to fold the paper exactly in half. After you're done, run your finger along the crease to make sure that it's secure.[1]
  2. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Once you've secured the crease, just unfold the paper in the same exact way that you folded it. You'll be left with a piece of paper with a vertical crease running down its center.
  3. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    This will create two triangles that meet along the middle crease of the plane. Running your fingers along the outer edges of the triangles will reinforce the folds.
  4. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Take the top corner of the paper and fold it down along the line created by the bottom edges of the two triangles. You'll be creating a mirror image of the top triangle over this line. You'll have a triangle with a corner that is pointing downward instead of upward.
  5. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    The bottom corner of the big triangle should still be peeking below the folds created by the top two corners. Just the tips of the triangles created by the top two corners should meet an inch (2.5 cm) above the bottom corner of the big triangle below them.
  6. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Just take the little flap below the two folded triangles and fold it upward, above the little space where the two triangles met. Make sure that the creases on the sides of the airplane are nice and firm after you do this by running your finger along their edges.
  7. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Fold the plane lengthwise in the opposite direction of the way you folded it in the beginning. You should be able to see the little triangles you created on the outer sides of the plane after this fold.
  8. How.com.vn English: Watermark How.com.vn to Make a Trick Paper Airplane
    Fold one wing down so that it gradually slopes downward, with the thickest part of the wing being at the bottom and falling below the bottom edge of the plane. Then, fold the other wing down the same way to meet the first wing. This will make the plane as aerodynamic as it can be and can make it fly long distances and loop in the air.
  9. How.com.vn English: Step 9 Fly the plane.
    Grab the handle of the plane and gently throw it upwards and watch it glide long distances and spin in the air.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making Other Trick Paper Airplanes

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  1. How.com.vn English: Step 1 Make an incredibly...
    Make an incredibly fast paper airplane. This plane can glide faster than lightening if you fold it correctly.
  2. How.com.vn English: Step 2 Make a loop...
    Make a loop de loop paper airplane. This plane will do the loop de loop trick every time. All you need is some paper, throwing technique, and a stapler.
  3. How.com.vn English: Step 3 Make the Stunt King paper airplane.
    This paper plane can cover a great distance while performing a variety of tricks.
  4. How.com.vn English: Step 4 Make a boomerang...
    Make a boomerang airplane. Make an airplane that will return to you like a boomerang.
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  • Question
    How do paper airplanes fly?
    How.com.vn English: Community Answer
    Community Answer
    While the plane is flying forward, air moving over and under the wings is providing an upward lift force on the plane. At the same time, air pushing back against the plane is slowing it down, creating a drag force. The weight of the paper plane also affects its flight, as gravity pulls it down toward Earth.
  • Question
    How do I make the slim plane paper airplane?
    How.com.vn English: Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You make the regular paper airplane, but you fold the sides in one more time.
  • Question
    What makes a trick paper plane go upwards suddenly?
    How.com.vn English: Community Answer
    Community Answer
    When a large amount of air gets caught up under the plane, a part of it will jerk up. This is called "stalling."
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      Things You'll Need

      • One rectangular piece of paper
      • Flat work surface for folding

      About This Article

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      How.com.vn Video Team
      How.com.vn is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 51 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 276,493 times.
      134 votes - 69%
      Co-authors: 51
      Updated: February 13, 2023
      Views: 276,493
      Article SummaryX

      To make a trick paper airplane, start by folding an 8 and a half by 11 inch piece of paper in half lengthwise. Then, unfold the paper and fold the top 2 corners down to the center crease. Next, fold the new top corner down to the bottom edge you created in the previous step. Finally, fold the paper in half lengthwise one more time and fold the bottom edge on each side up to the creased fold at the top. To learn how to make other kinds of trick paper airplanes, scroll down!

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      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 276,493 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • How.com.vn English: Sidddarth

        Sidddarth

        Feb 28, 2017

        "I have never seen these kinds of planes with paper folding. I am amazed after watching this."
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