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The locking glider

A small triangle holds the two flaps in place.

A little trickier · 9 picture steps

You need one A4 sheet of ordinary printer paper and a ruler. No scissors needed.

Download folding guide as PDF

Watch the slow folding animation →

Let’s fold

  1. Step 1

    Centre crease

    1. Before
    Before: Centre crease
    2. Fold
    Fold: Centre crease
    3. After
    After: Centre crease

    Fold, press flat, then reopen.

    Place A4 upright. Fold lengthwise in half and reopen.

  2. Step 2

    Top corners

    1. Before
    Before: Top corners
    2. Fold
    Fold: Top corners
    3. After
    After: Top corners

    Fold both top corners to the centre.

  3. Step 3

    Tip downward

    1. Before
    Before: Tip downward
    2. Fold
    Fold: Tip downward
    3. After
    After: Tip downward

    Fold the tip down to 2.5 cm above the bottom.

  4. Step 4

    New corners

    1. Before
    Before: New corners
    2. Fold
    Fold: New corners
    3. After
    After: New corners

    The downward tip stays free below the two new flaps. Do not fold it underneath them.

    Fold the new top corners to the centre; leave the triangle free.

  5. Step 5

    Lock it

    1. Before
    Before: Lock it
    2. Fold
    Fold: Lock it
    3. After
    After: Lock it

    Lift only the small loose triangle. Fold it upward over both flaps; the large sheet underneath stays flat.

    Fold the small exposed triangle upward over both flaps.

  6. Step 6

    Fold outward in half

    1. Before
    Before: Fold outward in half
    2. Fold
    Fold: Fold outward in half
    3. After
    After: Fold outward in half

    Fold the left half backward, away from you, along the centre crease. The small lock stays on the outside. Lay the closed plane on its side with the lock visible.

    Fold lengthwise outward in half. Keep the lock outside.

  7. Step 7

    First wing

    1. Before
    Before: First wing
    2. Fold
    Fold: First wingGrip: 2.5 cm
    3. After
    After: First wing

    Only the top wing is folded. The second wing is still unfolded underneath.

    At the bottom, measure 2.5 cm out from the closed centre fold. Fold the upper half, including all its paper layers, down along a parallel line; the narrow strip stays as the grip.

  8. Step 8

    Second wing

    1. Before
    Before: Second wing
    2. Fold
    Fold: Second wingGrip: 2.5 cm
    3. After
    After: Second wing

    Turn over first: the unfolded side faces up. The first wing stays underneath.

    Turn the paper over like a book page and fold the other wing to match.

  9. Step 9

    Open and launch

    1. Before
    After: Second wing
    2. Open
    After: Second wing
    3. After
    After

    Open both wings; keep the narrow grip closed.

    Open the wings slightly upward. Launch gently.

Help with folding

Upright means the short edges are at the top and bottom. The centre crease is the long fold in the middle. The grip is the narrow part underneath the wings. Measure it sideways from the closed centre fold. Parallel means the new line stays the same distance from the centre fold all the way along. Press creases flat with your finger. The lock is a small paper flap, not glue. The tip must stick out below the two newly folded corners before you fold it upward.

Folding principle checked against: Fold ’N Fly: Lock-Bottom. Our own simplified drawings and text. Our version needs no scissors: we omit the extra cuts and wingtip folds in the reference guide.

Compare three flights →