Illinois CAP squadron sets record for highest paper airplane flight

 

Congratulations to the Civil Air Patrol team from Illinois that recently set the Guinness World Record for a paper airplane flight – assisted by a helium balloon. 

 

On Saturday, Sept. 13, 2014, Fox Valley Composite Squadron, the local unit of the Illinois Wing, Civil Air Patrol (CAP), beat the Guinness World Record of “Highest Paper Airplane Flight from a High Altitude Balloon”. The paper airplane was launched from Kankakee, Illinois, and achieved a dizzying altitude of 96,563ft (18.3 miles, or 29,432 m) – breaking the prior record of 89,591ft – then safely landed 82 miles away, southwest of Rochester, Indiana, 2 hours and 7 minutes later.

 

The squadron started the project as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) experience for their cadets (youths ages 12-18). The cadets completely designed and constructed the traditional paper-dart airplane design – one recognizable by every grade-school child – made of paper board and measuring 30" in length, with a 14.5" wingspan, and weighing 424g (1 lb). The paper airplane was also outfitted with a GPS tracking system, temperature sensors, barometric pressure sensor, flight computer, batteries, solar panel and HD video camera to record the entire flight. The aircraft was then tethered to a large helium weather balloon and launched to altitude, where the balloon burst and the paper airplane’s flight computer cut itself away for its historic flight.

 

The new world record is considered unofficial until the documentation and evidence is reviewed by Guinness representatives.