When one thinks of aviation records, the longest flights, fastest planes, and most powerful airplanes probably come to mind. A lesser known aviation title is that of the world's longest paper airplane flight. This prestigious title rests with paper airplane pilot Joe Ayoob and aircraft designer John Collins. On February 26, 2012, these men achieved fame with their plane, which flew 69.14 meters (226 feet, 10 inches) at McClellan Air Force Base in North Highlands, California.
Collins has had a long career in building paper airplanes. He began building them as a schoolboy, at age 10 or 11. In an interview with Popular Mechanics, Collins detailed his airplane design. According to him, the design used traditionally to make paper airplanes is called a ballistic dart design and includes very thin wings that are launched at a 45 degree angle. Typically, paper with tiny little ridges was used, as it believed that these ridges helped break the air and provide a more aerodynamically stable airplane. Collins deviated from this when he designed his plane, instead deciding on a glider that was made out of smooth paper, which reduced drag. He also focused on reducing the typical launch angle, called the dihedral angle, to zero degrees, to provide less drag at launch. He practiced with Joe Ayoob over and over until he found a design that worked for them.
Now, how did he pick Joe Ayoob? Well, Ayoob was a quarterback for University of California, Berkeley. Collins knew he needed a strong arm to throw the plane with enough force to allow for maximal distance. As it turns out, Ayoob was an avid paper airplane fan. A match made in heaven!
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