Getting High With Paper Airplanes

You're going to think we've lost our minds, but this is a really cool date idea unless your date has lost touch with his or her inner Orville and Wilbur. Talk about getting revenge for the humiliation you suffered as a kid when your best attempt at a paper airplane suffered from premature ejection.

Fortunately, there are entire books and web sites that will provide you and your date with the plans to design and build incredible paper airplanes, including a Space Dart, Boomerang Jet, Acrobatic W-Wobbler, Flying Nun, Manta Ray, Solar Jet, Delta Fighter, Flying Bat and even a paper helicopter.

Also, if you are a guy and your date's planes fly better than yours, you'll have the perfect opportunity to show what a prince you are! On the other hand, if you can't relish in your date's success, better she knows about it now than later. (Think about this, ladies, and see how your date responds in situations where the two of you have to compete. Is he secure enough to handle a beating?)

COST

You won't pay much for the paper, unless you want to create designs from special papers. It would also help to have some plans to work from. You can get these for free from the internet, or from books which run from $3.50 to $19.95.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Paper, scissors, a large livingroom to do the "trans-livingroom flight test" or a hunk of the great outdoors.

WHERE TO FIND THE PLANS AND BOOKS

Try www.paperairplanes.co.uk for a site with probling articles such as "Why Do Planes Stay in the Air, Usually?", "Paper Airplanes: Darts or Gliders" and "Why Don't Paper Planes Have Tails?"

Go to www.ipl.org/cgi-bin/youth/youth.out.pl?sub=fun1300 for very helpful links from the Internet Public Library Youth Division. Includes everything from how to make airplanes to making pinatas, dinosaurs, kites, paper, paper dolls and much more.

BOOKS (in alphabetical order)

Best Ever Paper Airplanes: Book & Kit by Sterling Publish.

The Best Paper Airplanes You'll Ever Fly by E. Richard Churchill and the editors of Klutz.

Championship Paper Planes by Paul Jackson.

Exotic Paper Airplanes and Exquisite Interceptors by Thay Yang.

The Gliding Flight: 20 Excellent Fold and Fly Paper Airplanes by John M. Collins.

How to Make Origami Airplanes That Fly by Gery Hsu.

Origami Rockets, Spinners, Zoomers, Floaters and More by Lew Rozelle.

Wings and Things: Origami That Flies by Stephen Weiss.

World of Origami by Isao Honda.

The World Record Paper Airplane Book by Ken Blackburn and Jeff Lammers.

ORIGAMI—BEYOND PAPER AIRPLANES

Who ever thought that folding a few sheets of paper (other than the kind they print hundred dollar bills with) could get you laid? Thanks to the ancient art of origami, which in Japanese means "fold to impress," you and your date can create neat-looking flowers, animals, shapes and incredible forms from a regular sheet of paper. You'll find a paper folder's treasure chest at www.origami-usa.org or phone them at (212)769-5635. You can order most books on the subject, including those listed on paper airplanes, from this site.