The Importance Of Fine-tuning

At this point, with your plane folded, the airfoil set, and any warp removed from the wings, there is less than a 50/50 chance of the plane flying well.

Why? All airplanes need a little fine-tuning (some need a lot) to get them to fly properly.

Pitch (Elevator) Adjustments Adjusting the pitch is the most important thing you can do to prevent your plane frm diving or stalling.

It is done by angling the ELEVATOR, which is a horizontal section of the plane, normally the back edge of the wing or tail.

Bending the elevator up or down changes how nose high or nose low the airplane flies.

Throw the plane several times gently at a shallow downward angle, as described in “Best-Bet throwing techniques, Slow Flight,” the plane arcs downward it may be properly adjusted for fast flight, but will need some “up elevator” for slow flight.

Bend the elevator areas up a little bit (never bend them straight up or down).

Most airplane will need a little up elevator to fly properly for slow flight.

If the airplane climbs, slows, then dives, it has stalled and one of two things is wrong.

You may have thrown the plane upward with too much speed.

Make sure you are throwing gently and slightly downward.

The second cause of stalling is too much up elevator.

Fix this by bending the elevator down a little.

Continue fine-tuning the elevators until the airplane flies smoothly.

If it refuses to do so, your plane may be tail heavy.

Add some weight to the nose using a paper clip or a few pieces of tape, and repeat the pitch adjustment process.

If your plane has been adjusted to fly slowly and you want to fly it fast, bend the elevator down (otherwise it will stall when thrown hard).

Planes adjusted to fly fast can be made to fly smoothly at a slow speed by adding up elevator.


Turning (Rudder) Adjustment Most paper airplanes will have a tendency to veer to the left or right when they are first thrown.

They can be adjusted using the back end or RUDDER.

First, make sure the wing tips lie above the airplane body so the wings form a “Y” shape with the body.

This is important for the airplane to respond properly to the rudder.

Throw the airplane gently downward at a shallow angle, making sure that you are not banking (tilting) the plane at all.

If the airplane turns to the right, bend the rudder to the left.

If the airplane turns to the left, bend the rudder to the right.

Continue your test flights and rudder adjustments until the plane flies in a straight line.

If the plane requires major rudder adjustments, one wing is probably warped.

Check the wings again and adjust them so they both look the same.

If you want the airplane to veer right, bend the rudder a little to the right, and when you throw it, bank the airplane to the right (tilt the right wing slightly down).

Reverse everything for a left turn.



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