How to Make the StarVoyager Paper Airplane

Fast, long range and small, the StarVoyager is a little paper airplane that bears great resemblance to today's modern airliners. To help origami aviators already making the sturdy Voyager drone cruiser paper airplane, the StarVoyager retains most of its layout. Owing to its swept-wing, the StarVoyager is faster than the original Voyager, whist maintaining good glide ratio and thereby, great range.

The StarVoyager was the result of a hybridization between a wing being used for a replica airplane in development, and the fuselage of a Voyager. Minor trim changes in the horizontal stabilizers were required, but the new aircraft was otherwise sound. The StarVoyager was an airplane originally designed to function as a simple testbed, but proved itself worthy to be a design of its own right.

Some potential experiments possible with this airframe include:
•Glide ratio
•Weight and balance
•Hangtime versus other aircraft
•How surface inequality can affect aircraft (geometry/shape studies)

TAA USAF Designation: D241-1

Required:
1 Piece of 8 by 10.5 inch graph paper
Tape
Pencil
Ruler
Stapler
Scissors

First, begin by folding your your graph paper in half (excluding three boxes on the perforated side). Once the paper has been folded appropriately, make two marks--15 full boxes apart. Use a ruler to make a straight line with the length of 15 boxes directly up 1 row of boxes from the two marks you just made. Then make the rudder, spars, landing gear and counterweight as shown. Follow the photograph markings. Then, below the rudder, mark a line that stretches 3 boxes. 1.5 boxes back from the beginning of this line, make a dotted line vertically. Once all is marked out, cut out the fuselage.

After the fuselage is made, take another sheet of paper that is folded in half along the lines of boxes. Mark out the wing as shown (3 by 12 boxes). The rate of chord decay on the leading edge should be 2 boxes of chord every 3 boxes of span. The rate of chord decay on the trailing edge should be 1 box every 3 boxes of span. Then mark out the horizontal stabilizers as 2 by 3, plus a swept portion with a sweep of 1 box of chord decaying every 3 boxes outwards from the wing root.  Then cut it out.

Solid lines indicate places to cut. Dotted lines indicate fold lines.

Note: 1 box = 0.25 inches

Begin making the fuselage of your StarVoyager by folding the counterweight in as shown. Unfold the fuselage and cut off the right vertical stabilizer. Then restore this fold after this is done. Fold down the spars and landing gear as shown. Fold the rear fuselage forward at the vertical dotted line beneath the vertical stabilizer and then cut along the solid line. This will be where the horizontal stabilizers will be placed. Unfold the vertical fin and then apply tape where designated.

Cut out your horizontal stabilizers and slide them through the slit in the fuselage you cut earlier. Apply tape to keep them in place. Once this is done, cut out your StarVoyager's wings and lay them out flat. Flip the airframe inverted and match the spars to the last complete row of boxes of the wing. Apply tape to secure the wings to the fuselage.

Apply one staple to each side of the StarVoyager's fuselage. Fold the horizontal stabilizers downwards. Measure 0.125 inches from the trailing edge down each side of the middle box. Mark out a line along the box's edges to that point and then cut along those lines to those points. Then fold the elevators up as shown. This will complete your StarVoyager.

Due to its swept wing configuration, the StarVoyager is faster than the original Voyager. Launches should be done at negative or neutral attitude. When launching with a moderate toss: at negative attitude, elevator deflection should be roughly 15-45 degrees; and at neutral attitude, elevator deflection should be roughly 15-30 degrees. Elevator deflection should never exceed 45 degrees at any attitude. If you choose to launch at higher speeds, elevator deflection should be reduced. Additional applicable surfaces include slats, ailerons, flaps, flaperons, spoilers, spoilerons, a trimmable rudder and air brakes. Enjoy!