How to Make an Arrow Paper Airplane
The arrow is a slim, dart-like paper airplane with the outer edge of each wing folded up into a fin. Like the feathers of an arrow, the fins keep it pointing into the airflow, so it tracks straight and is best for distance. It is a medium-difficulty fold that takes about four minutes with one sheet of printer paper.
At a glance
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- About 4 min
- Steps
- 7 (6 folds)
- Paper
- A4 or US Letter
- Best for
- Distance and straight tracking
How to fold the Arrow with fins
A slim dart with upturned wing tips. The fins act like the feathers of an arrow and keep it flying straight.
Difficulty: Medium · Best for: Distance · 7 steps
Printable fold-line template
Page 1 is the A4 sheet with every fold line printed in place and numbered; page 2 has the steps. Print at 100% (Actual size) on ordinary 80 g/m² (20 lb) copy paper.
Test flight: Arrow with fins
Toy model — not a predictionA simplified 2D flight model driven by the folded shape: its wing area, weight and balance point. Drag from the hand in the direction of the throw — a longer drag throws harder — or use the sliders.
Drag on the picture or press Throw.
- Weight:
- 5.0 g
- Wing area:
- 210 cm²
- Wingspan:
- 12.8 cm
- Balance point:
- 160 mm behind the nose
- Balance on the wing:
- 23% of average chord
- Steady glide:
- 5.7 m/s, 1.9 : 1
Weight assumes 80 g/m² paper. The model treats the plane as one flat, rigid wing: lift and drag of a thin plate, a centre of pressure that moves back as the nose rises, and bent-up elevators that add a nose-up moment. Real flights also depend on crease quality, wing symmetry, twist and air currents.
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Step-by-step instructions
The same 7 steps as the animation above, written out so you can fold away from the screen. Measurements are for an A4 sheet; switch the tool above to US Letter for Letter-size measurements and template.
Step 1
Lay the sheet portrait, printed side up. Fold it in half lengthwise, crease firmly and unfold again. The centre crease is your guide for every fold that follows.
Step 2
Fold both top corners in to the centre crease.
Step 3
Fold the slanted edges in to the centre crease again, making a long point.
Step 4
Turn the plane over and fold it in half along the centre crease, so the folded flaps end up on the outside. Turn it so the nose points left.
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Step 5
Fold the top wing down along a line parallel to the bottom edge, about 2.3 cm (7/8 in) above it. Turn over and fold the other wing to match.
Step 6
Fold the outer 1.8 cm (3/4 in) of each wing back up to make the fins.
Step 7
Open the wings until they are level and stand the fins straight up.
How to throw the arrow with fins
- Throw firmly and level. The fins keep it pointing into the airflow, so it tracks straight.
- Launch it slightly upward outdoors for the longest flights.
The fins make the arrow very steady in a straight line, so you can throw it firmly without it wandering off. Indoors, throw level; outdoors, aim slightly upward and give it a strong, smooth throw to get the longest flights.
Trimming and troubleshooting
Trimming means small bends to the back edges of the wings (the elevators) and the wing angle. Change one thing at a time and test-throw after each change.
- Keep both fins upright and equal; a fin that leans makes it turn.
- Dives: bend the back edges of the wings (between body and fins) up slightly.
- It turns even though the wings look level
- Check the fins: if one leans in or out more than the other, it acts like a rudder. Stand both fins straight up at the same angle.
- It dives
- Bend the back edges of the wings, between the body and the fins, up very slightly.
- It stalls and slides back
- Flatten the back edges of the wings and throw more level rather than steeply upward.
About the arrow with fins
The arrow uses the same nose as the classic dart, two rounds of folding the edges to the centre, but its wing fold is parallel to the body, which gives it wider, straighter wings. The last new fold turns the outer strip of each wing back up to make small vertical fins.
Those fins do two jobs. Like the tail feathers on an arrow, they resist sideways slipping, which keeps the nose pointing where you threw it. They also stiffen the wing edges, so the wings are less likely to flap or droop in flight. The result is a plane that flies noticeably straighter than a plain dart when both are thrown hard.
Upturned wing tips are one of the easiest upgrades you can make to any design. Try adding them to the classic dart, or compare the arrow with the hammer glider, which uses tip fins on a slow, wide plane.
Arrow with Fins paper airplane: questions
What do the fins on a paper airplane do?+
Upturned wing-tip fins help the plane fly straight by resisting sideways slipping, much like the feathers on an arrow. They also stiffen the outer edge of the wing.
Is the arrow paper airplane good for distance?+
Yes. It is a fast, dart-style plane that tracks straight, which is exactly what you want for long throws.
How big should the fins be?+
About 1.8 cm (3/4 in) on each wing, as in the steps above. Much larger fins add drag and make the plane sensitive to any lean.
My arrow paper airplane keeps turning. How do I fix it?+
Make both fins stand straight up at the same angle, and check that the wings are equal. A fin that leans acts like a rudder and steers the plane.
Fold another paper airplane
Classic Dart
The sharp-nosed plane most people learn first. Fast, straight and happiest with a hard throw.
Bulldog Dart
A dart with its point folded back into a blunt nose. It flies as straight as a dart but survives crashes much better.
Hammer Glider
Short and wide, with a thick folded band across the nose like a hammer head. Slow, stable glides and upturned tips.