THE GLIDING FLIGHT is a return to paper airplane basics: one person, one piece of paper, and a few folds later, one airplane. Using a refreshingly inventive approach to designs and flying characteristics, you can make 20 original paper planes, such as the Stealth, the Wind Devil, the Glart, and the Skid Kid. The book's flip-book animation demonstrates the basic origami folds, with clear step-by-step assembly for each design. A crease here and there is all you need to create high-performance aircraft — no scissors, no glue. In the current age of electronic toys, THE GLIDING LIGHT proves you can still have fun with a simple sheet of paper and a little imagination.
Most people ask how I got started. The truth is I never stopped. At some point, I started studying origami. Armed with a new set of folding tools, my planes really started to take better shape and fly better.
With The Gliding Flight, the first book, I managed to do something that hadn't been done yet: a collection of high performance, folded planes. The premise was simple: the only resource needed would be available in the average waste basket. It was a freeing idea and the simplicity appealed to me: one sheet of paper, some folding, and a great flying toy is created. Origami has given me the tools to create planes with landing gear, engine nacelles, tunnels in the nose, and most importantly; clean, efficient wing and body shapes.
With Fantastic Flight, I was working on paper airplanes that could do extraordinary things: circle back, flip over and fly back upside down, flap their wings, and some that can stay aloft using an updraft created by the pilot. These bold ideas are based on simple science. Folding is all that's required, even for the Super Canard; and aircraft with a small forward wing.
I'm frequently asked, "What's your best paper airplane?" I can only answer with the question, "for what mission?" Do you need the best time aloft, the best distance, the best flapping wing, the most stall resistant, or the one that I've flown for more than a half hour?
I do a lot of public and private shows. I've been fortunate to see some of the world while showing off my planes. In any language the sound people make when they see the Helicopter Egress System or the Tumbling Wing for the first time, is always the same. There's a gasp of wonder, some load whispers of "no way"(or the equivalent) and a flurry of camera shutters. My dream is to able to do this for a living. I can't yet, but I'm working on it. The world is big enough to support just one guy who calls himself The Paper Airplane Guy.
Website
www.ThePaperAirplaneGuy.com
iPhone app: The Paper Airplane Guy's Construction Kit
YouTube Channel: The Paper Airplane Guy
Appearances:
Google, San Francisco 2010
Maker Fair, San Mateo 2010
Evergreen Aviation Museum, Portland Oregon 2010
Evergreen Aviation Museum, Oregon 2009
Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos, CA 2009
Mobius Children's Museum Fundraiser, Spokane, WA 2009
Maker Fair 2009
Parents Education Network Conference 2009
Charles Armstrong School 2009
INTUIT Designer Conference, Redwood City, CA 2008
Client: Intuit
Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA 2008
Art Science and Tech Day
The Tech Museum, San Jose, CA 2008
The Tech Challenge 2008-2009
Singapore Science Center, Singapore 2008
Amazing Flying Machine Competition
The Green School, Bali, Indonesia 2008
Special Invitation
Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos, CA 2008
Fly In 2008: Client Hiller Aviation Museum
* * Re:think Convention 2007
Client: Impact Unlimited
* * BIO 2006 - International Bio-tech convention, Chicago
Client: Quintiles
* * Maker Fair 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 - National Event in Association with Make Magazine. Main Stage demonstration.
Client: Maker Fair
* * Hiller Aviation Museum, San Carlos, CA 2007
Client: Hiller Aviation Museum
* * Book Expo America 2005, New York
* * Exploratorium (Science Museum) San Francisco - various dates
Clients: ASDI and Novell
Partial list of Television and Live Performances
National Television:
* * CNN
* * DISCOVERY CHANNEL "NEXT STEP"
* * CBS "THIS MORNING"
Local Television:
* * KPIX-TV (CBS Affiliate), San Francisco "EYE ON THE BAY"
* * KRON-TV (NBC Affiliate), San Francisco "SPORTS FINAL"
"THE MORNING NEWS" "BAY AREA BACKROADS" 5,6, and 11pm NEWS
* * KTVU-TV (FOX Affiliate), San Francisco "THE TEN O'CLOCK NEWS"
* * KING-TV (NBC Affiliate), Seattle "MORNING NEWS"
