Paper Airplane Launcher

We created a paper airplane launcher because we felt that normal paper airplanes were just too boring. We tried to base it off carrier launches using rubber bands and an incision in the body of the plane to hook the rubber bands for launch.

1. Paper
2. Cardboard
3. Hot glue
4. 3d printed hook support and launch poles
5. Paint
6. Box cutter
7. Ruler
8. Pencils

We brainstormed possible game ideas. I wanted to remake or improve a toy that already exist. I tried to think of toys that could be played alone and with friends. Our paper airplane idea fulfilled our constraints

We began looking for how the aircraft can take off on such a short runway on aircraft carriers. We also searched up websites that provided paper airplane designs that both flew far and looked appealing.

https://science.howstuffworks.com/aircraft-carrier3.htm

https://www.redbull.com/mea-en/the-aerospectacular-anatomy-of-a-paper-plane

https://www.foldnfly.com/#/1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-1

At first, we wanted to make a naval aircraft looking plane. The problem with that it was too heavy due to the amount of folds, so we decided to make a different one. We settled on the "Horizon". We tested its flying capabilities by cutting a triangle hole in its body and launching it. I added staples to reinforce the contact point. It worked.

We knew that staples not only didn't look presentable, but it wasn't the strongest contender for structural support. We decided to 3d print a cover that would make contact with the rubber band preventing the easily malleable paper from folding. We measured the angle and length that it would have to be and then scaled the 3d podel accordingly. It fit perfectly.

We needed to build a base that resembled a runway for the airplane to launch off of. We made it out of cardboard since it was flat, lightweight, and not too weak. We cut a 6 by 8 platform and then painted a design that resembled a runway.

We made the handle out of cardboard as well and hot glued it to the runway base. It was on a slight angle to better fit with the natural curvature of the hand when it is holding something. The handle was 4 inches long and the part that angled it was about half an inch.

Originally, we wanted to poles on each side of the runway to hold the rubber band like a traditional slingshot. Unfortunately, the plane kept getting caught on the rubber band so we had to use a single pole in the middle which worked. We hot glued the pole into base.