The World Record Paper Airplane Book

With the proper amount of lift, the thrust of a good throw, very little drag, and lots of stability, you might do it: fly a paper airplane into the record books the way Ken Blackburn did.

Now this aerospace engineer and paper airplane world record-holder teams up with Jeff Lammers, a mechanical engineer, to create an everything-you-need resource for beginning and experienced flyers alike. Mixing science, innovation, and enthusiasm, The World Record Paper Airplane Book features 100 full-color, ready-to-fold paper airplanes (sixteen models, multiple copies of each), ranging from the simple to the sophisticated. Each airplane is easy to make and has numerically folded marks with illustrated step-by-step instructions. In addition, the book offers a wealth of information about aviation and flying: how planes work, how to perform tricks and fine-tune for speed, and how to stage contests. And to make your flight sessions more exciting, there's a full-color pull-out landing strip for accuracy practice and a flight log to record your times. The World Record Paper Airplane Book will set you on an unforgettable aeronautical journey, whether you're an armchair pilot or an aviation professional.

Ken Blackburn has been fascinated with aviation since he was an eight-year-old frequenting the aviation section of his library in North Carolina. He first broke the world record for paper airplane time aloft in 1983 when he was a junior at North Carolina State University, with a 16.89 flight. After graduating magnum cum laude with a degree in aerospace engineering, Blackburn broke the record again. In February 1994, he broke the record yet again with a time of 18.8 seconds. When not braking records, he is also an aerospace engineer for McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis.

Jeff Lammers grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, mesmerized by the multitude of McDonnell Douglas aircraft buzzing through the skies. After graduating with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri in 1983, he worked for five years in the defense industry. Tired of the weapons industry and the corporate environment, Lammers moved into robot and automation-equipment design. He is currently testing his talent as an entrepreneur and a mechanical engineer, manufacturing an electric sports car and developing on-line information technologies.