Chennai hosts the India Finals of the world’s largest paper plane flying competition on a carpeted college runway. Now, the winners take their folding techniques to Salzburg
Chennai hosts the India Finals of the world’s largest paper plane flying competition on a carpeted college runway. Now, the winners take their folding techniques to Salzburg
Flying a paper airplane is no longer a child’s play. On May 13 and 14, in Austria’s iconic Hangar-7 housing historic aircraft, helicopters and Formula One racing cars in Salzburg, paper planes will fly left and right, and even perform some acrobatics as the world’s largest Paper plane flying competition is going on. Out of 2,900 participants in India, Ayush Mandawat from Delhi and Deepak Choudhary from Hyderabad, both students, will lock horns with paper plane pilots from around the world.
Back in the hidden aerospace hangar behind the Department of Automobile Engineering at SRM University, Kattankulathur, strobe lights were pitched to groovy music as 20-somethings continuously shot paper planes one after the other in a practice session.
Ayush Mandawat and Deepak Chaudhary in the program. photo credit: waqas mansoori
The scene was ironic. In the background was a robust model of the Cessna – 172R (a fixed-wing aircraft) while the paper planes were in the air; However for a few seconds they crashed silently onto the gray runway (a carpet with signs). The plane that makes it farthest wins (distance category). And, the plane that manages to stay in flight for the longest time also wins (airtime category).
Later that day, 16 finalists from across the country gathered in the same hangar to fight for the coveted opportunity to fly to Salzburg. In India, 35 meters was the longest he managed to fly his paper plane, but Aayush broke the record for applause and excited screams by reaching the impressive mark of 38 metres. Similarly, Deepak Choudhary from Hyderabad kept his plane in flight for 10.45 seconds, making him the national champion in the airtime category.
The competition is titled Paper Wings by Red Bull which takes place once every three years, with 490 qualifiers in 62 countries in 2022. The World Finals which takes place at Hangar-7, which is also a tourist destination, will give the finalists a chance to fly with the Flying. Bulls, a global fleet of aviation enthusiasts who have a penchant for rare and historic airplanes and helicopters. Red Bull launched the paper plane competition in an effort to reach its audience – young adults – at colleges around the world. He never trivialized it, but rather as something that encourages students to be imaginative and creative.
For Ayush, a BTech student of Delhi Technological University, it came as an unexpected opportunity. He spontaneously signed up following a friend’s suggestion. “I didn’t know it was a global competition,” he said.
Venue at Chennai’s SRM University | photo credit: waqas mansoori
He tells us his tricks and tips. While the aircraft’s build and its weight determine how far the plane can go, Ayush said, “It has to be narrower and heavier at the front. The wings should not be wide. And if you keep turning your nose frequently, your nose will get heavy. That’s the only technique I’ve employed.” Throwing it with power, but at the same time maintaining control, matters, as the aircraft must not go beyond the marked limits.