Photos: YouTuber flies a human-sized airplane made almost entirely of cardboard

YouTuber Peter Sripol built and successfully flew a human-sized airplane made almost entirely from cardboard, challenging conventional experimental aviation that typically relies on advanced composites and software. The project aimed to test whether cardboard—a cheap, lightweight but structurally weak material—could be engineered carefully enough to lift a person into the air. Sripol constructed the fuselage and wings from flat cardboard sheets, reinforcing key joints with plywood plates to address stress points. Through iterative testing and reinforcement, he treated cardboard as a real engineering material, balancing strength and weight. After multiple taxi tests and adjustments, including moving to a trimmed field and reducing rolling resistance, Sripol achieved brief liftoff with the help of a towing assist from a car. The aircraft flew for a few seconds before gently crashing, marking a successful proof of concept. Sripol plans to refine the design based on the test data to achieve higher and longer flights. While the project demonstrates innovative thinking and hands-on learning, Sripol cautions