Plastic Bottle Airplane

This project was born in 2011 at Maker Fair New York. The idea was to design objects from household wastes.
For this purpose, Fabien Jonckheere, les ateliers Jonck has designed this amazing airplane.

This airplane has been featured in many workshops leaded by Fabien, and he has good feedback from attendees.

Few month ago I met Fabien and inspired by the Instructables 'Make it Move' contest we have decided to highlight this project making it available for the big world.

I hope you will enjoy our first collaboration.

Note: The above pictures has been made in 2011 in downtown New-York.

For this instructable you will need :

• 1 Coca-cola plastic bottle (500 mL /16.9 fl oz)
• 1 Cereal box
• Airplane paper templates (Available for free on Jonck.fr )
• 2 Wood sticks
• 1 Ice Stick
• 3 Plastic bottle caps
• 3 Plastic pearls
• 1 Paperclip
• 3 Elastics
• 2 Nails
• Painting
• Tools : Tape, glue, scissors, drill, hammer, cutter, pliers

Using the first template, cut and drill the plastic bottle.
First for the cockpit, cut the three sides of the trapezoid.
For the wings, cut the square and drill the two holes.
Finally, drill the bottom of the bottle in the center. This will be used for the propeller.

Use some tape to protect the cockpit glass and paint the plastic bottle.

Paint the cereal box both sides as well as two wood stick and one ice stick.

Curve a paperclip to make the form above and glue it in a plastic cap previously drilled.

Add an ice stick to make the propeller.

Then put two plastic pearls and insert it on the bottom of the plastic bottle. Pearls are used to reduce friction.

Finally curve the paperclip from inside the plastic bottle to make a hook.

Using the second template, cut the two parts of the airplane chassis.

Fold the two parts following dashed lines from the template and glue the two parts together.

Assemble the chassis with the bottle using a wood stick.

Insert an elastic between the wood stick and the propeller hook.

Use the third template to cut the wings then fold it following dashed lines.
Make the wheels from two plastic caps and a wood stick and insert it in the wings template.

Insert the block with wheels and wings in the plastic bottle.

You can add a pilote to make the plane more realistic.
I these pictures I used a Playmobil® character.

Your plane is ready, check if the propeller is moving thanks to the elastic.

To make the plane move you can build a launcher.
Stretch an elastic between two nails and you launcher is ready.

Watch the creation and result in video !