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How to Make a Mini Motor-Powered Paper Plane

Paper airplanes can glide through the air on wings, even though they have no motor. To increase the distance that a paper airplane can travel, add a mini-motor to the plane that powers a propeller. Your motor-powered paper airplane will need supplies acquired from a hobby store and a hardware store. Purchase the mini-sized battery powered motor, normally used in radio-controlled vehicles, from the same hobby store.

Things You'll Need

Construction paper, 11-by-14 inches
Mini-DC RC motor
Bonding glue
RC propeller
Electric wire spool
Ruler
Scissors
Wire stripper
Masking tape
"AA" battery

Instructions

- 1
  Place the sheet of construction paper horizontally on the table. Fold the left bottom corner to the middle and smooth the crease. Fold the left top corner to the middle and smooth the crease. Turn the paper over. Fold the top side down to the bottom side. Smooth the crease down. Fold the bottom flap up to the center and smooth it down. Fold the top flap down to the center and smooth it down. Unfold the paper.
- 2
  Stand the mini-DC RC motor on the table with the shaft facing up. Apply bonding glue to the end of the shaft. Place the end of the rod attached to the propeller against the end of the shaft. Hold the rod against the shaft for a minute.
- 3
  Cut two 6-inch lengths of wire from the electric wire spool with a pair of scissors. Strip a 1/2 inch off both ends of both wires with a wire stripper. Place one of the exposed ends of one of the two wires against the positive (̶0;+̶1;) labeled contact on the motor. Apply a dab of bonding glue to the contact. Hold the wire against the contact for a minute. Repeat this procedure with an end of the other wire and the negative (̶0;-̶1;) contact on the motor. Let the glue set overnight.
- 4
  Place the motor on the crease so that the propeller overlaps the right side of the paper plane. Tape the motor to the paper with a strips of masking tape. Place the battery on the crease on the paper near the motor.
- 5
  Tape the battery to the paper with a strip of masking tape. Tape the end of the wire attached to the positive (̶0;+̶1;) labeled contact on the motor to the positive (̶0;+̶1;) labeled contact on the battery. Tape the end of the wire attached to the the negative (̶0;-̶1;) contact on the motor to the negative (̶0;-̶1;) contact on the battery. Fold the paper airplane.
- 6
  Hold the paper airplane by the bottom with the propeller facing you. Flick the paper airplane forward to send it flying and watch the propeller ̶0;push̶1; the airplane farther than if your wrist alone was providing the propulsion. Remove one of the wires from the battery once the paper airplane falls to the floor to stop the propeller from spinning.

Aviation