A design team composed of young British scientists has created what they consider to be the most perfect paper airplane, which can fly more than 100 feet (30 meters) and stay in the air for about 20 seconds!
This paper airplane named "Avenger" achieves the perfect balance between complex aerodynamic principles and simple design style.
The "Avenger" paper plane was designed by 20-year-old Chris Sanders, 19-year-old John Lewis and 21-year-old Jon Ward, engineering students at the University of Leeds. Lewis said their design team tried to perfectly unify flight distance and airborne time. He said: "The nose has been proven to be the main factor causing the failure of paper airplanes. Making a long and pointed nose is a mistake. It looks good, but it lacks stability."
The nose of the "Avenger" is not pointed, and multiple folds make it stronger. This design makes the flight more stable and will not "shatter to pieces" after being thrown a few times. Professor McIntosh believes that the location of the center of gravity is also very important. "The ideal center of gravity should be about one-third of the fuselage from the tip of the nose." Flaps on the rear wing of the fuselage can allow airflow to pass from a wider angle, thereby helping to increase flight altitude.
According to some flight experts, to ensure the smooth flight of paper airplanes, the following principles should be followed:
*The thick front-end design ensures stable flight, and the nose is fixed with a paper clip to allow the aircraft to fly farther.
*If the aircraft is too heavy due to the nose, adjust the tail end of the wing and fold it upward slightly.
*The center of gravity should be positioned forward to prevent the aircraft from swinging.
*The wing angle should be upward, making the aircraft look like a "Y" when viewed from the front.
*Winglets at the wing tips help reduce flight drag.
*Look down at the front end of the aircraft, check for symmetry, and refold it if necessary; complete asymmetry will not allow for smooth flight.
*Patience and minor adjustments are more important than radical changes to the basic design.
