帅大叔5年卖1600万架纸飞机 Aviation fan sells 16 million paper planes in 5 years

Liu Dong makes paper planes. [Photo/VCG]

Folding(折) paper planes(纸飞机) in class(课堂), and reading(读) aviation magazines(航空杂志) after school(学校), the then-11-year-old Liu Dong never imagined his childhood(童年) interest(兴趣) would turn into a lifetime(一生) career(职业).

Liu Dong demonstrates a paper plane in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/VCG]

In 2007, Liu was unhappy with his work, and started to rethink his career path. It was then that paper plane, his childhood dream, knocked at his heart.

It was no easy task to turn his childhood interest into a profession, as Liu wanted his paper plane to be ingenious. Without readymade drawings, Liu created his own design(设计) based on childhood memories, thanks to his art degree from Qingdao University.

Liu Dong reviews drawings. [Photo/VCG]

"I was exhausted," Liu said, recalling the 10 months he spent locked in his room designing the plane. He sold his first model(模型) to Singapore, and his business took off right after the launch of his store on Taobao, Alibaba's e-marketplace.

Liu Dong (right) checks a drawing. [Photo/VCG]

But Liu's business crashed soon after. So he attended a TV talent show for inventors in 2008 to secure free advertising(免费广告). The 46-year-old became the biggest winner of the show, with teachers at youth centers introducing paper planes in science activities across campuses(校园). The Aviation Administration Center of the General Administration of Sport even listed Liu's paper plane as special equipment for youth aerospace model competition.

Liu Dong takes a photo of his paper plane. [Photo/VCG]

Aero modeling is a popular tech activity at primary and middle schools in China, with most schools using paper planes as a major teaching method. Traditional paper planes are too simple for teachers to illustrate(说明) basic aviation knowledge, and Liu's paper plane simulator perfectly solved the problem.

Liu Dong test flies a paper plane. [Photo/VCG]

The paper plane simulator has adjustable flaperon, elevator, and rudder, enabling it to simulate various aerodynamic configurations; moreover, the paper plane requires no glue or tape, which is convenient and environmentally safe as well.

Liu's big moment came just after First Class at School, a large public welfare program covering primary and middle school students, was broadcast in 2013. "From barely one order we went to more than 200 models that single night," Liu said.

Liu Dong and his wife are busy in packing paper planes. [Photo/VCG]

Schools around the country started to invite him to deliver lectures(演讲) to students, even graduate students from China's top Tsinghua University became big fans of Liu's paper planes.

As the first person to mass retail paper planes in China, Liu earned 50,000 yuan ($7,475) that month, with the average price of a plane ranging from 0.5 to 2 yuan.

Liu Dong poses with his paper planes in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/VCG]

The aviation fan has sold 6 million paper flight simulators in the past five years, while the sales of surfing plane have risen to more than 10 million. "I am the top plane maker in the world, as none of my competitors has higher shipment," Liu said.

词汇 Words:

[zhé] 折 fold
[shuō míng] 说明 illustrate
[zhǐ fēijī] 纸飞机 paper plane
[kè táng] 课堂 class
[xué xiào] 学校 school
[xìng qù] 兴趣 interest
[zhí yè] 职业 career
[mó xíng] 模型 model

重点词汇 Key word:

架

• <量词 measure word> [used for something with a stand or mechanism]
  E.g. Wǒ hé māma dēng shàng yī jià fēijī。
  我和妈妈登上一架飞机。
  Mommy and I went in an aeroplane.

• <名词 n.> frame; shelf
  E.g. Shūjià shàng quándōu sāimǎn le shū。
  书架上全都塞满了书。
  Every inch of shelf space was crammed with books.

• <名词 n.> fight; quarrel
  E.g. Nǐ yòu hé tā chǎojià le?
  你又和他吵架了?
  Did you make a scene with him again?