Paper Planes tested in the small portable windtunnel (Belgium, VKI)

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The paper dart is one of the simplest and most popular paper airplane models. Although usually made from an A4 sheet of paper, its design varies as the length-to-width ratio of the sheet of paper used to construct it changes, hence also affecting the aerodynamic properties of the airplane.

This essay presents the changes in the paper dart design engendered by variations in the dimensions of the paper sheet by considering a range of different length-to-width ratios, and attempts to determine the ratio which produces the best paper dart. Wind tunnel testing was carried out to measure lift and drag forces in order to derive the lift coefficients, drag coefficients, the aerodynamic efficiency and the gliding ability of the darts. Although an A4 format sheet of paper has a length-to-width ratio of 1 : 0.7, it was found and concluded that a paper sheet of length to width ratio 1 : 0.9 produced the most efficient dart. From the data, a theory explaining the different aerodynamic efficiencies of the darts was suggested, proposing that the slight changes in wing profile and that the formation of additional winglets caused by increases in length-to-width ratios were the cause of the efficiency variations. Factors which may arise in practical but which were not considered for the investigation were discussed, and an evaluation of the work containing suggestions for follow up research project was made.

Work performed by an High School student from The British International School of Shanghai, Henri Gernaey, as trainee of the von Karman Institute.

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