One Great Kid -- Brian O'Keith Pigrum - Who loves making paper airplanes!

Paper airplanes can be great fun for kids of any age, and I certainly enjoyed making them when I was a kid.

Somehow some things never change. Today I enjoy teaching my grand kids how to make paper airplanes, which is why this article caught my attention:

One Great Kid -- Brian O'Keith Pigrum

Some times as adults we forget about having fun, just enjoying something as simple as spending some time with our children or grand children doing something simple and easy which requires close personal interaction with each other. And what could be more fun for a pilot than teaching my grand children how to make a paper airplane step by step?

Want to make a paper airplane that will come back to you?  Watch the following video and learn how:

Remember, making paper airplanes is fun, even when you are older.  A quick way to get ready to make paper airplanes with your kids is to pick up a copy of the Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes!

Wright Patterson Air Force Base Paper Airplane Fly-Off

Do you love paper airplanes? Like to demonstrate your skill at building and flying paper airplanes? Well, here's your chance:

Wright Patterson Air Force Base Paper Airplane Fly-Off

If you can participate be sure and do so.

If not, you can at least find out how to make the best paper airplane for yourself.

Enjoy!

Flying Foam Airplanes and Rubber Band Airplanes

Once we outgrow paper airplanes, the next step is to fly foam airplanes, and then foam airplanes with rubber band powered propellers. Here is an interesting article on Foam RC Airplanes:

8 things about Foam RC Airplanes

But, rc airplanes can be expensive, so a better alternative is a rubber band airplane. Here is a site where you can find some great rubber band powered airplanes:

The Paper Airplane Company

Finally, flying rubber band airplanes can be a lot of fun - see for yourself:

Enjoy!

Rubber Band Airplanes

Rubber band airplanes have been around for a long time, and can be a lot of fun. Here is an interesting article on rubber band powered airplanes:

Rubber Band Powered Airplane

As kids we start by folding our school papers into paper airplanes, but soon tire of such simple devices. That's when we discover the fun of rubber band airplanes, and learn to fly them like in this video:

Many of us aspired to be pilots, and I was lucky enough to become one. Read about how a rubber band powered airplane can easily be made and flown:

Rubber Band Powered Airplane

If you don't want to build one from scratch, you can get one in kit form, like the Whitewings Giant Wright Flyer rubber band airplane.

Enjoy!

How To Make Paper Airplanes

We have all folded paper airplanes at one time or another, but there is so much you can do with paper. Check out this cool list:

How To Make Really Cool Paper Airplanes

But once you make them what do you do next?

Check out this video:

The Paper Airplane Guy

But what is even more fun? Why, flying your very own rubber band powered airplane, that's what! There are replicas of the Wright Flyer, seaplanes and more!

Enjoy!

Are Radio Controlled Aircraft More Fun?

I have a number of friends who love to fly radio controlled airplanes, and apparently I am not alone. Here is an article about some of the fun these groups have together:

Radio controlled planes bring aficionados together for flight and fancy

But, at my age, most of my time is spent with grandchildren who are a little too young for radio controlled airplanes. Nonetheless, I want them to experience one of my favorite things to do - flying airplanes.

In order to accomplish this we go to the local park and fly a rubber band airplane made out of foam, with adjustable air foils, that we can wind up and fly. It is great fun and the grand kids love it.

Watch as some youngsters fly a rubber band airplane around the local school yard:

Enjoy and have fun!

Eglin engineer holds world record for paper airplanes

DESTIN — Ken Blackburn knew he was perfect for an Eglin Air Force Base position when he read the job requirements.

Eglin was looking for an engineer who was an “expert in very small unmanned air vehicles” and Blackburn just happened to be a Guinness Record holder for small unmanned air vehicles, aka paper airplanes.

“I’m just grateful my work and my passion outside of work can compliment each other,” Blackburn said.

For as long as he can remember, Blackburn has loved anything that could fly. He started building his paper airplanes when he was 6 years old because paper was all he could afford. He applied the principles of flight dynamics he read about in countless books to the paper plane designs he created.

“One of the good things about paper airplanes is it allows you to be creative,” Blackburn said. “I came up with the world record design when I was 12 years old.”

Blackburn used to break the 15.0 second record for a paper plane’s longest time in the air all the time as a kid. At the time, he was not aware there was a record for paper planes.

Blackburn learned about the record when he was 15 years old and had officially broken it by the time he was 20 in 1983. He broke the record in 1987 and again in 1992.

Blackburn lost his record to a couple of guys from England in 1996. He was not aware of the new record until he picked up a record book at a bookstore two years later.

He worked with a physical training coach to build up his throwing arm, practiced and made countless paper planes. The training paid off when he regained his record in 1998. Blackburn is still at the top of the heap with a record of 27.6 seconds.

The record has had its benefits. Television shows invited Blackburn to break his record twice. He has been invited all over the world to make his planes or act as a judge in contests.

“I’ve made three or four trips to Europe for paper airplanes,” he said. “It’s been great. I didn’t think I deserved all of that, but I’ll take it.”

Blackburn’s books on paper airplanes have sold nearly two million copies in 13 different languages. He has created hundreds of paper airplane designs.

Blackburn has also done community outreach programs for Eglin AFB. He gives guided tours of local museums and loves to speak to kids about his rewarding hobby.

In his presentations, Blackburn stresses the importance of having a long-term goal and achieving it with practice and persistence.

“I really hope that most kids don’t get inspired to break my record,” Blackburn said with a chuckle. “But I hope it does what it did for me: make science more interesting.”

via google.com

Paper airplanes can be a great deal of fun, but my grandkids have now graduated to where they would rather fly their rubber band airplanes at the local park than fold them.