How to Make a Paper Airplane That Flies Far
The long-distance dart is a dart that starts with a folded band across the top of the sheet. The band ends up hidden inside the nose, adding weight at the front, so the plane holds its speed and turns a firm throw into a long, flat glide. It is a medium fold that takes about five minutes with one sheet of printer paper.
At a glance
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Time
- About 5 min
- Steps
- 7 (6 folds)
- Paper
- A4 or US Letter
- Best for
- Distance from a firm throw
Printable Long-Distance Dart instructions (PDF)
Page 1 is a fold-line template: print it, then fold along the numbered lines. Page 2 has every step with pictures plus throwing tips.
How to fold the Long-distance dart
A dart that starts with a folded band across the top, giving it a heavy nose. It holds its speed and glides further than the plain dart.
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: Long-distance dart
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:
- 153 cm²
- Wingspan:
- 10.8 cm
- Balance point:
- 138 mm behind the nose
- Balance on the wing:
- 27% of average chord
- Steady glide:
- 5.1 m/s, 2.5 : 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.
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 the top edge down by 3 cm (1 1/8 in), making a double-thick band across the top of the sheet.
Step 3
Fold both top corners in so the folded top edge lies along the centre crease on each side. The band is now inside the two flaps.
Step 4
Fold the new slanted edges in to the centre crease, as for a classic dart.
Step 5
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.
Step 6
Fold the top wing down so its top edge lies along the bottom edge (the keel). Turn over and do the same with the other wing. At the tail the body is about 5.3 cm (2 1/8 in) deep.
Step 7
Open the wings so they are flat and level, with a slight upward V seen from the front.
How to throw the long-distance dart
- Throw firmly and smoothly, 5 to 10 degrees above level. The heavy nose keeps it pointing forward, so it converts a hard throw into a long, flat glide.
- Outdoors, throw with a light breeze behind you for extra distance, and stay out of gusty wind.
Throw firmly and smoothly, 5 to 10 degrees above level, and follow through rather than snapping the wrist. The heavy nose keeps it pointing forward, so it climbs a little, levels out and glides. For the longest flights outdoors, throw with a light breeze behind you and avoid gusty days.
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.
- Dives early: add a small upward bend to the back of both wings, about 1 mm over the last centimetre.
- Climbs, slows and drops: remove some of that bend.
- Curves to one side: check that the band and both flaps are folded evenly, then bend the back edge of the wing on the outside of the turn up a little.
- It dives early
- Add a small upward bend at the back of both wings, about 1 mm over the last centimetre, and test again.
- It climbs, slows and drops
- There is too much up-bend at the back of the wings, or the throw is too steep. Flatten the bends a little and throw closer to level.
- It curves to one side
- Check that the band and both flaps were folded evenly. Then bend the back edge of the wing on the outside of the turn up slightly.
About the long-distance dart
Weight in the nose is the secret of most distance planes. A plane balances around a point a little ahead of the middle of its wings; moving weight forward makes it steadier and lets it fly fast without pitching up. The long-distance dart does this with a single extra fold at the start: a band across the top of the sheet that becomes a double layer inside the nose once the corners are folded over it.
After that the folds are the same as the classic dart: corners to the centre, the slanted edges to the centre again, fold in half and fold the wings down to the keel. Because the band shortens the sheet a little, the body is slightly shorter and the nose slightly blunter than a plain dart, which also makes it more durable.
Use it when you want distance from an ordinary throw. For pure speed try the needle dart; for slow, floating flights try the classic glider, the Nakamura lock or the hammer glider. The flight preview above lets you compare how each design flies before you fold it.
Long-Distance Dart paper airplane: questions
What paper airplane flies the farthest?+
Darts with a heavy nose fly the farthest from a normal throw, because they keep their speed and glide flat. This long-distance dart, the Nakamura lock and the bulldog dart are the best distance planes on this site.
Why does the folded band make it fly further?+
It puts extra layers of paper in the nose. The forward weight keeps the plane stable at speed, so it does not pitch up and stall, and it carries its speed further.
How hard should I throw it?+
Firmly but smoothly, a little above level. Throwing very hard or very steeply usually makes it climb and stall; a smooth, firm throw gives the longest glide.
Does it work with US Letter paper?+
Yes. The steps and measurements work on both US Letter and A4, and the printable PDF comes in both sizes.
How can I make it fly even further?+
Crease every fold sharply, keep the wings exactly equal, trim it with a tiny up-bend at the back of the wings, and throw outdoors with a light breeze behind you.
Fold another paper airplane
Classic Dart
The sharp-nosed plane most people learn first. Fast, straight and happiest with a hard throw.
Nakamura Lock
A traditional design whose small folded tip locks the nose flaps in place. Heavy, sturdy nose and a steady, long glide.
Needle Dart
A dart narrowed three times into a slim, needle-pointed body with small wings. The fastest plane here; it needs a hard throw.