FEBRUARY 2012 - ISSUE 01 - Massive Magazine

17Isabelle Truman looks into how paper wings can fly you across theworld.PAPER WINGS TO TAKE FLIGHT AT MASSEYA real challenge for all thosesporty, arm-rippling buff gymboys and all the tech kidsRed Bull Paper Wingswill be taking overthe Massey UniversityGreat Hall onMarch 26th.Remember back when youwere 10, sitting in class flippingyour ‘yes/no’ rubber to determineyour every choice, andminding your own business,when suddenly out of nowhereyou get the fright of your life?You jump, maybe let out a littlecry, and then turn a beautifulshade of red. Oh, the embarrassment.Yet again, your headhas unfortunately wrecked theflight pattern of a paper aeroplane.Back then, paper aeroplaneswere simple things. They weremade to cure boredom, to sharelove notes, and to annoy thehell out of your horrible teacher.Who would have thoughtthat paper-aeroplane building,when done skilfully, could takeyou across the world, to Austria,on an all-expenses-paid trip?This trip to Austria will be areality for three New Zealanduniversity students, yes, justlike you. It will take you to theHanger-7, the place where thefounder of the energy drinkconsumed in 164 countries resides:the home of Red Bull.There, you will then competewith students from all aroundthe world in the finals of the2012 Red Bull Paper Wings.After doing a bit of researchI’ve realised that paper-planemaking is a lot more seriousthan you would think, and thereare some serious plane-buildingfanatics out there.Imagine it: you enter thiscompetition purely becausemaking a plane is a hell of a lotmore interesting than lectureslide 15, and as you’re buildingyou realise that your fingersknow their way around thatpaper. You could do it in yoursleep. You come to terms withthe fact that lecture slide 16 isjust as useless to you as lectureslide 15, and just like that youhave found your true calling.Plane building. This career pathcould take you across the world,and it will – if you put enougheffort into this competition.Red Bull Paper Wings startedin 2006 and is now hosted inover 86 countries. This yearmarks the first year that theevent has come to New Zealand.Paper Wings will be run in universitiesall over the country –so, if your flatmates go to Vic,you can all find YouTube clipsand plane-build together overthe kitchen table.The concept is simple: decidewhich category you wantto enter – longest airtime,longest distance, or aerobatics(you can, of course, enterall three, if you’re one of thosehardcore paper plane makingmaniacs). Then register onlineat redbullpaperwings.com andjust turn up on the day. Masseywill be hosting the Wellingtonqualifiers in the Great Hall onMonday March 26 with eventsplanned at Massey UniversityPalmerston North Campus andat Auckland universities.Engineering students will beperfectly suited for the aerobaticssection. This is the onlysection that allows contestantsto use not only paper but othermaterials such as glue and tapeas well, so it really makes a differencethe amount of practiseyou put in.Sporty, arm-rippling buffgym boys, you could probablythrow a piece of paper prettyfar, and for all you tech kids,there’s a few good paper planemaking apps that could probablyteach you a trick or two.Practice makes perfect sonext time you’re in a lecture, ripa page from your notebook andget creating.There’ll be plenty of cold RedBull cans, good beats, and comfyseats at the Great Hall qualifier,so even if you don’t thinkyour paper-plane making skillsare up to par, come along andcheck it out. For more info, anda sweet plane-building game,check out www.redbullpaperwings.com.The Red Bull Paper Wingsevent will be happening notonly at Vic and Massey Wellingtonand Palmerston North,but also Auckland University,AUT, Unitech, Otago, andCanterbury. Details on thequalifiers in those regions willbe available in O-Week sokeep a look out for the WingsTeam on campus with coldcans and information.