Paper Airplane Science Olympics

Interesting outdoor activity for kids is the Paper Airplane Science Olympics. It is a great way to incorporate science concepts and a way to stretch one's in a while. And it allows kids to breath the fresh grass scented air outside your classroom.

Paper Airplane

Object: To construct an airplane of larges range and longest time of floght

Team: Maximum of two (2) members per team.

A. The Competition

1. Two separate rounds will be run, one for distance and one for time of flight. The same plane must be used for each round. Each team will have only one airplane.
2. In each case, the following rules and requirements pertain:

a) Teams will design and construct their own airplanes prior to the Olympics.

b) Preferably, competition will take place in an open air field or gymnasium where wind velocity is negligible and insignificant and launces will be executed by the competitior horizontally from a standing position, and at shoulder level.

c) No dimension ( length, width, or height) of the aircraft should exceed 50 cm.

d) Stepping beyond the assigned marker will be a fault.

e) A second fault will disqualify the contestant

f) The mass of the braces, struts, weight added, glue, clips, etc. shall not exceed twice the mass of the paper in the aircraft. If there is a question of this upon initial inspection, the plane will be analyzed after the competition, but before finalization of places.

g) Each team will be allowed two launces in each round with the best score for the set being retained for purposes of the competition.

h) Each team will compete in each part of the competition.

i) No practice flights will be allowed in the vicinity of the launching area during the duration of the contest.

B. Scoring

Distance Round

1. Horizontal distance from the point in the ground directly below the launch point to the position of first impact with the ground will be measured.
2. Impact with any object prior to hitting the ground will allow a repetition of a launch.
3. The greatest distance achieved will be awarded 20 points with all other scores scaled proportionately to distance achieved to the nearest tenth of a point.

Time-of-Flight Round

1. In this part of the contest, the airplane may be launced at any angle.
2. Time from the flight of the airplane until first impact with the floor will be measured by two or three timers.
3. The average time of the timers to the nearest tenth of a second will be recorded.
4. Greatest duration will be assigned 20 points with all other scores scaled proportioanately to the nearest tenth of a point.

Total Score is composed of the two (2) scores thus obtained. The highes scoring team will be awarded 20 points towards the total cometition; the second, 15 points; the third, 10 points.