First Annual Paper Airplane Derby Video!!!

Thank you to Cynthia Malaran for this FANTASTIC perspective of the Derby.

The Winners!

The Winners of the First Annual Paper Airplane Derby:

Champion -- #27 Yariv with "T"
Second Place -- #3 Vadim with "Challenger"
Farthest Flight -- #7 Az with "The Terminator"

Most Spirited -- #13 Johannes with "Fliers"
Most Beautiful -- #17 Sophie with "Blossom Fiona Plane"
Most Innovative -- #9 Stephen with "The Creative Explosion"
Most Spectacular Crash -- #8 Thomas with "Rexey"
Best Airplane Name -- #5 Peter with "Flying Piglet"


Congratulations !!!

The Competitors

You may think paper airplanes are all fun and games but this was a serious competition!

In Heat #1:

#1 Carlos with "Travieso", #2 Roman with "The Blue Screen of Death", #3 Vadim with "Challenger", #4 Isobel with "ISSY", #5 Peter with "Flying Piglet"

Roman looks on with trepidation as Isobel holds up her plane. At 4 years old, Isobel could prove to be tough competition. Just ask Mozart!

The launch, Heat #1

The judges mark the winning planes. Planes #3 and #5 advance to the next round.

Heat #2:

#6 Tae with "Omlette", #7 Az with "The Terminator", #8 Thomas with "Rexey", #9 Stephen with "The Creative Explosion", #10 Greg with "Smudgy Tailspin"

Stay tuned...this group proved to have much talent!

The launch, Heat #2

Judges Ann and Azin mark the planes that advance to the next round (planes #7 and #9). Jessica keeps score in the background.

Heat #3:

#11 Stephanie with "L'Avion Supersonic", #12 Hugo with "The Red Baron", #13 Johannes with "Fliers", #14 Danica with "Lily", #15 Nonna with "Nonneta"

Danica and Nonna hold up their planes for the Judges' inspection

Danica checks out the competition.

The launch -- #11 and #13 move on to the next round.

Heat #4:

#16 Aaron with "Pequod", #17 Sophie with "Blossom Fiona Plane", #18 Tazha with "The Flying Rainbow", #19 Ty with "The Crasher", #21 Jeff with "The Flying Dutchman"

The launch!

Azin marks the planes. #16 and #19 move on to the next round.

Heat #5:

#22 Ethan with "The Destroyer", #23 Rowan with "Enola Gay", #24 Larkin with "The Falcon", #25 Toby with "The Blackbird", #26 Glenn with "SSGL"

...and late entrant #27 Yariv with "T"

The launch -- Planes #24 and #27 advance to the next round.

Check back for photos from Round 2, The Championship Round, the winners and videos from the competition!!!

The "making of" the paper airplanes

In 3rd grade, you may have folded your math test into a paper airplane and flown it across the room. These contestants, in the 2010 First Annual Paper Airplane Derby took the paper airplane to a whole new level. Take a look at their fantastic creations:

The making of a paper airplane:

Our youngest participant Isobel works with her dad on her plane ISSY


Stephanie takes a break from the game Humans vs. Zombies to construct "L'avion Supersonic"

A flurry of activity before Heat #1


The judges survey the field as contestants fold and decorate their planes


Az working on "The Terminator" and Thomas with "Rexey"


Az and Carlos test their planes while others are still hard at work

Peter working on a plane that eventually got discarded for another plane "The Piglet"

Late entrants Ethan and Rowan construct their planes "The Destroyer" and "Enola Gay" right before the first heat


Jeff looks on as Nonna constructs "Nonneta" and Danica perfects "Lily"


Wait a second...is this woman breaking rule #4??

Tae works on "Omlette"


Thomas puts the finishing touches on "Rexey"


Contestant working among several discarded models


Hugo and Johannes with one of their early designs


This plane has a pilot!


Vadim test flies "Challenger"

Carlos tests "Travieso" while Stephen looks on with his plane "The Creative Explosion"

Finished Products:

Jeff with "The Flying Dutchman"

Tae with an impressive plane that was eventually scrapped for a more aerodynamic model

Sophie with "Blossom Fiona Plane" (we hear this plane was named after Sophie's invisible puppy)


Glenn with the "SSGL"

Nonna with "Nonneta"


Tazha with "The Flying Rainbow"

Check back tomorrow for photos of the heats and find out who wins the Derby!!

Thanks to Libor Pospisil for many of these lovely photos.

We Won!!

The First Annual Paper Airplane Derby won Best Family Game at the Come Out and Play Festival. We are so excited and want to thank all of our participants, champions, award winners, judges, videographers, photographers, derby wranglers and cheerers on.


Here are a few photos from the Derby:


The first three participants to sign in take the job very seriously.


Cynthia and Ann take a moment away from photos and judging to pose.


Glenn poses with his aerodynamic wonder plane.



Jeff, Nonna and Danica dazzled the crowd with these fine planes.

Check back for more photos, coming soon.

An Interview with Rachel and Linda

From thehappiestmedium.com:

"Tell me the truth . . . Paper Airplanes – Origami for Americans or just a clever way to send the math test answers across the room?

America’s favorite paper company, Dunder Mifflin, used the Paper Airplane in the director’s cut of their paper commercial, and everyone’s favorite engineer – Dilbert – has one in the opening credits of his animated series.

This weekend you can compete in the First Annual Paper Airplane Derby as part of the Come Out & Play Festival. It’s a great chance to be creative, show off your skillz and win a trophy!

I chatted with Rachel Schutt and Linda Perkins about what makes their Derby the fliest event at the festival..."

Read the full interview here:
http://thehappiestmedium.com/2010/06/paper-planes-the-only-way-to-fly/

What New York is saying:

From nbcnewyork.com:

"FUNDERGROUND: If your biggest regret about being an adult—other than taxes and high blood pressure—is the sheer lack of playing games for the fun of it, the Come Out & Play Festival has your inner child’s number. Kicking off Friday night, the fest runs all weekend, organizing/hosting more than 30 games, activities or other fun, utterly ambition-free pastimes. Parachutes! Life-sized mazes! Something called the First Annual Paper Airplane Derby! The Opening Party is at Park Slope’s Brooklyn Lyceum at 7PM."

To read more:
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/around-town/food-drink/64-Doughnut-Day-the-Come-Out--Play-Fest-95558594.html