Image Credit: Guinness World Records
A paper aircraft measuring more than 20 metres across its wings has set a Guinness World Records title after successfully flying inside an aeroplane hangar in Bologna, Italy. Its successful flight on 25 June 2026 marked the end of months of planning, testing and construction. The aircraft travelled 59 metres, surpassing a record that had remained unbroken since 2013, according to the University of Pisa. The successful flight brought an end to a 13-year wait for a new holder of the largest paper aircraft record. The achievement returned the title to Italy after the previous record had remained with the German institution since 2013, according to the University of Pisa.
The project began with a simple idea shared by engineering students during their university lectures, according to Guinness World Records. The team positioned Icarus on scaffolding before preparing to launch it across the hangar, according to Guinness World Records. Created by students from the University of Pisa, the giant aircraft, named Icarus, was made entirely from paper and glue. One of the students carried the aircraft into position and prepared to throw it towards the opposite side of the indoor space.
The group discovered the existing record while studying for exams and decided to attempt something that had previously seemed difficult to achieve on such a scale.
The University of Pisa reported that the project was developed by its engineering students with support from science communicator and content creator Jakidale. Guinness World Records reported that the team built two earlier prototypes before arriving at the final version.
The students used computer simulations to predict how their design might perform before committing to the final construction, according to Guinness World Records. What started as an informal idea developed into a substantial engineering challenge involving design, calculations, testing and construction. These simulations helped them explore the aircraft’s proportions and consider how the finished structure could be made to fly. The journey towards Icarus involved several stages rather than one successful design from the beginning.