Aereidi paper. Cross delight of teachers and students a few years ago, when the camera phones did not exist and we could not share “snuff movie” bullying with their peers. So, holding court at school were chasing the little paper. Declination West (and warlike) art of origami. Intended, most of the time, a heroic crash on the shoulders of the alternate.

Times are changing, but the paper planes continue to exert their charm. And they moved from school to university laboratories. Where engineers – students and professors – challenge to those who build the best plane. Flying faster, it flies farther. And that flies longer.

A true mania, also bounced on the pages of the British newspaper The Guardian and on the Internet. Three British students of the University of Leeds (College of Engineering Aeronautics, obviously) have put online a video that explains how to turn a simple sheet of paper in a glider. And the video, obviously, is popular.

But for those who want to make the most of its aircraft, the’how to Leeds children is not enough. It takes some knowledge of materials and theoretical knowledge. Maybe a textbook, come The World Record Paper Airplane Book, written by engineer Ken Blackburn U.S. aerospace. That, as well as dealing with hunting and raiding flying, did the passion for paper airplanes a real second job. Almost a sport, agrees that the more hours a week, and in which he holds the world record for flight duration in closed session: 27,6 second. Made in the deaths of his moments “first” Working at the Georgia Dome, in 1987. While working as an engineer on the U.S. Air Force jet F-18.

Obviously, Ken is also a purist. It believes that the real paper airplane is to be done from a single sheet of paper. “The kits that are on the market are made with two sheets – explains – are good for flights of less than 5 second. But if you want to achieve performance series, the choice should fall on the nesting”. And the paper, if possible, must be rigid. The classic A4 is fine:”It’ the first rule: the aircraft flies with the tip harder better”. And it sticks better in the back of the alternate.

Source: Courier of the Web