whee, paper plane

March 16, 2008 4:07 PM

What fun things can I do with paper planes?

I'm thinking of holding a Paper Plane Party and need ideas on what one can do with or surrounding paper planes.

I know of paper plane races (distance, accuracy, time aloft), and you can always design the planes creatively. You could also use the paper planes as advertising/invites, or just toss them off a tall building and watch them float.

What other creative ideas have people done with paper planes?

posted by divabat to grab bag (6 comments total)

Well, you could go with the whole airline vibe as part of the party theme: dress as a pilot or flight attendant, serve drinks in little plastic cups, have bags of honey-roasted peanuts and pretzels, etc.
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:18 PM on March 16

Have every guest create a "signature" plane, then use the planes to create a hanging mobile. Something like this, maybe?
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 4:18 PM on March 16

Aerobatics contests (loops), seeing who can fold the most of a particular design in 20 minutes.
posted by hjo3 at 4:23 PM on March 16

Build walkalong gliders and have races/competitions.

also, the less plane like tumble wing design.
posted by nazca at 4:57 PM on March 16

Paper Plane Top Gun
Required: Paper planes. Rubber bands. Knowledge of at least some of the lines in Top Gun. Works best as a round-robin competition. Warning: this game is [pause] ...dangerous.
1. Everyone chooses a wingman (and must accept offers with the phrase 'bullshit, you can be mine').
1a. Everyone chooses appropriate call-signs.
2. Pairs face each other an agreed distance away from each other, determined by the available space.
3. At an agreed signal, players launch two paper planes, one from each pair, aiming to get as close to where the opposition is standing.
4. While the planes are in flight, the player who didn't throw gets to flick rubber bands at the incoming "bandit", aiming to stop it before it lands.
5. The pair wins the round who lands their plane closest to where the other pair are standing.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 5:05 PM on March 16

Have a "Ruptured Duck" rally: build some simple planes, with dimes taped in as counterweights/"pilots". Deliberately throw the craft against a wall, and with minimal uncrumpling, see how well the planes can continue to perform. Winner takes all dimes.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:55 PM on March 16