How to Make the Turbo AeroCruiser Paper Airplane

Fast, small and simple, the Turbo AeroCruiser is a tiny drone cruiser based upon the StratoCruiser, meant to replace the original but more complex AeroCruiser.

The Turbo AeroCruiser was designed as a simpler complement to the original AeroCruiser, which was somewhat complex. I decided to base the new aircraft upon the StratoCruiser due to its one piece fuselage. To counter the pitch-down tendencies evident in the StratoCruiser and Super StratoCruiser designs, I decided to fit a wing with greater lift ahead of the spars than behind them, so as to move the center of lift forward. The wing design selected was the same shape used for the Manx family, to increase commonality. This alteration enables the Turbo AeroCruiser to be flown without additional elevator trimming. In testing, the Turbo AeroCruiser was found to be a stable, quick flyer and was allotted an instructable for publication shortly thereafter.

TAA USAF Designation: D330-1

Required:
1 Piece of 10.5 by 8 inch graph paper (4 boxes per inch)
Tape
Stapler
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil

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--9 full boxes apart (allow for a further box back behind the airframe). 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 vertical and horizontal stabilizers, spars and counterweight as shown. Follow the photograph markings.

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 (2 boxes in length by 4 boxes in width, and a swept portion in front of this box of 1 box eliminated every 4 boxes away from the fuselage).

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Cut out your fuselage and fold the counterweight into the fuselage. Fold down the horizontal stabilizers, landing gears and spars. Once this is done, unfold down the stabilizers, skids and spars. Then apply tape where designated.

Cut out and unfold your wings. Once this is done, align the airframe with the wing and secure the wings to the spars with tape. Apply one staple in the area of the counterweight folds, and apply tape to the leading edge of the wing at its intersection with the LERX. Cut along the diagonal line at the rear of the fuselage. This will complete your aircraft.

Being a simple aircraft to make, the Turbo AeroCruiser is also easy to fly. Launches should be at neutral attitudes at medium to high speed. Launches can be done at a positive attitude, but launch speed should be increased (range may be reduced) and deep stalls avoided. Elevator trim may need adjustment, so test flights are highly recommended. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, flaps, ailerons, flaperons, spoilers and a trimmable rudder. Enjoy!