paper gliders

we are working on a design project involving a glider made exclusively of paper (and glue) and has to carry a payload of around 15 grams( two chalkpieces). the performance parameter would be endurance. the glider has to be hand launched. we are looking around for data but most of the glider data pertains to wood construction or powered versions. would we get more flight time if we build a conventional style glider/sailplane (main/tail plane, fuselage,etc) from parts made of paper... or if we make a paper folding kind (origami) with some improvisation to accomodate the payload. hope someone has some pointers in this regard.

Try this
http://www.paperplane.org/

Al

Try this as a source.
http://www.indoorduration.com/

Jim N483SZ

Cross post to rec.models.rc.soaring to get to the sailplane model builders...they'll be all over it.

A

Many years ago, Scientific Published a book titled something like 'The Great Paper Airplane Book'. You might check Amazon or similar site to locate it.

The genisis web site use to describe how to to make a flying wing out of a styrofoam egg carton. I got mine to go 42 ft. 3 in. after a slight push from about six feet high in a gymnasium. Try it .

I just built another one of those tonight and I still have a few around from when I saw that on the groupgenesis web site. They go much better than anything I ever made out of paper. However, they are much more sensitive to the initial input. As you mentioned, just give it a little airspeed and let go. It will drop about 2 feet and accelerate, then it just glides....fast, smooth, and far. Great indoor fun in the winter time.

Jim

Soaring Flight Simulator: http://www.sfspc.de

sounds interesting.. but could you give me the website URL??

It doesn't exist anymore (as far as I know). I'll see if I can get a digital camera and take some photos. You use the top of a foam egg carton. There is a formed depression in the center that acts as a fuselage. Cut off the edges of the carton top where it drops off (if you want to get fancy you can leave a bit of the edge and the end of the wings to act as winglets). Leave the leading edge straight and cut a tapered trailing edge so that the wingtips are about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. Now comes the fun part....adding ballast to balance the plane. I use some small finishing nails but you can use whatever you like. I tape a nail on the leading edge, in front of the fuselage, and give it a few gentle launches. If it stalls falls, you need to add another nail. Repeat as necessary.

One few words about launching: Be very gentle. There are two methods I've found to work reliably. One is to move the plane forward and slightly down, then release. Sometimes you can give it a small push at the same time with your index finger on the trailing edge, just behind the fuselage. The other way is to hold the plane by the trailing edge right behind the fuselage with the plane pointing down at about 80 degrees. Release. It won't go as far, but it's fun to watch it come out of the dive and scoot along just above the floor.

LEADING EDGE

There are plenty of sites with this, easily found by typing 'egg carton glider' into google. e.g.
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/mathscience/funexperiments/ flyingwing.html

I reviewed a CD-ROM for S&G several years ago called Greatest Paper Airplanes and it was quite good. There is a shareware version available as well as the full version. I was just going to give you the url, but I've deleted it to re-gain some space on my hard drive! I'd suggest a web search on Greatest Paper Airplanes.

John Wright, 742