PALPaper Airplane Lab

5 min read

How Wing Shape Changes Flight

Narrow dart wings favor speed and penetration. Wide glider wings favor lift at low speed. Hybrid shapes sit in between.

Dart wings

Swept, narrower wings reduce drag for a given throw. They need more speed to produce useful lift.

Glider wings

Longer chord and span increase lift and drag. Soft launches shine; hard launches often stall.

Try a controlled comparison

Use the same paper and thrower for a Classic Dart and The Condor. Record qualitative notes: speed feel, air time, and landing style.

Planes to try with this idea

Keep reading