How to Make the Simple Trekker Paper Airplane

Fast, small and nimble, the Simple Trekker is a development of the Trekker "drone cruiser" paper airplane designed with smaller wings to lower drag and enable higher speed flights.

The Simple Trekker's development was swift; rather than complicate a design for a fast drone cruiser with tricky features like swept wings, I decided to use a more docile straight wing of smaller size than was previously used on the Trekker family. By doing this, many things such as drag, lift and materials required were reduced. The aircraft proved itself able in flight testing and was approved for publication.

Some potential experiments possible with this airframe include:

• Glide ratio
• Weight and balance
• Hangtime versus other aircraft
• How surface inequality can affect aircraft (geometry/shape studies)
• Physics experiments

TAA USAF Designation: D372-3

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper

Tape

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil

Stapler

First, begin by folding your your graph paper in half (excluding three boxes on the perforated side). Once the paper has been folded appropriately, make two marks--11 full boxes apart. Use a ruler to make a straight line with the length of 10 boxes directly up 1 row of boxes from the two marks you just made. Then make the rudder and counterweight as shown. Follow the photograph markings. Then, mark out the wing spars and landing gear. From the back, measure 1 box forward and make a solid line 2 boxes long. Measure 1 box back from the beginning of this horizontal line and mark out a dotted vertical line. Once all is marked out, cut out the fuselage. Along the bottom of the fuselage, measure 4 boxes from the back. At the back, measure 0.5 boxes above the bottom of the fuselage. Then make a diagonal line connecting these two marks.

After the fuselage is made, take another sheet of paper that is folded in half along the lines of boxes. Mark out the wing as shown (1 box of constant chord at the root; a leading edge sweep of 1 box of chord decaying every 3 boxes outward from the constant chord box; and a trailing edge sweep of 1 box of decay along the 4 boxes of wingspan). This will complete the wings. In addition, measure 2 boxes along the crease and 2 boxes upwards from one side and the 1 box forward. Then draw a diagonal line connecting this line the other edge of the line along the crease. This will make the horizontal stabilizers. Then cut it out.

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.
Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Begin constructing your fuselage by folding the counterweights into the fuselage. Once they have been folded, unfold the fuselage and cut off the right vertical stabilizer. Once this is done, restore the fold. After doing this, fold the vertical stabilizer forward along the dotted line that indicates the center of what will be the slot for the horizontal stabilizers, then cut. After this cut has been made, cut away the bottom of the fuselage beneath the diagonal line near the rear of the fuselage. Apply tape where designated.

Cut out your wings and lay them out flat. Align the fuselage over top so the spars align with the wing as shown. Then apply tape. Cut off any excess. Flip the aircraft over and apply tape to the leading edge of the wing above the leading edge root extensions. Once you have finished with the wings, cut out your horizontal stabilizers and slide them through the slit in the fuselage you made earlier. When through, fold them up and apply tape to the underside; then fold down. Then apply one staple in the area of the counterweight. This will have completed your aircraft.

The Simple Trekker is a docile paper airplane and handles well. Launches should be done at moderate speed at neutral attitude. Test flights should be conducted to check the aircraft. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, flaperons, elevators, ailerons, spoilers, spoilerons, air brakes and a trimmable rudder. Enjoy!