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How to Fly a Balsa Kit Plane

Balsa is an incredibly lightweight and porous wood that is used effectively with toy model airplanes. For many, using a balsa wood glider is a right of youth. Balsa airplane kits are available in many varieties including those with wire and plastic landing gear, rubber band propellers and weighted noses. These lightweight toy aircraft use the same principles of flight as the larger, remote-controlled airplanes or even full-size, actual airplanes.

Instructions

- 1
  Pinch the balsa wood between the thumb and forefinger so the fingers are underneath the airplane. Hold the airplane just behind the nose.
- 2
  Cock your arm back to just behind the head and push the aircraft forward. Don't jerk or try to throw the aircraft, instead use a pushing motion and loosen the pinch when the arm is extended almost all the way in front of the body. Watch how the airplane flies. If the airplane flies to the left, push the wing further to the right and vise versa. If the balsa airplane pitches up, nose first, move the weight slightly down on the nose.
- 3
  Twist the propeller 12 to 24 times and watch the rubber band shorten and get wider with the wrapped coils. Pinch the airplane with your thumb and forefinger and keep your opposite hand's forefinger on the prop to keep it from unwinding. Hold the airplane about shoulder height and push it forward, letting the finger release the prop to fly the airplane through the air. Make adjustments to the wings to achieve straight flight.
- 4
  Place the landing gear (wheels) on the ground, if your balsa airplane is so equipped, and twist the propeller until the rubber band is coiled. Hold the prop and line the airplane up on a hard surface, then release and let the prop move the airplane down the runway and lift off into the air.

Aviation