Paper Airplane Record Broken by 45-Foot, 800-Pound Plane Soaring Over Arizona Desert

A 45-foot, 800-pound paper plane soared across the Arizona desert Wednesday evening.

The Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona used a design inspired by 12-year-old Arturo Valderamo, a paper airplane distance contest winner, according to The Huffington Post. The boy met with engineers who oversaw the design and construction of the huge paper airplane.

The museum's blog recounts the scene:

After it was lifted off the ground by its nose, our giant paper airplane rose and rose until it began swaying pretty heavily in the wind (a product of having to delay the launch until the evening instead of the calmer morning). Aaron, our helicopter pilot then gave the order to cut the plane loose from the cable when it began to pull the chopper itself in a strong gust. But after it was released, for several shining moments, our huge, beautiful, silly, hubristic 45-foot paper airplane soared.

It was released at an altitude of about 2,703 feet and reached speeds of 98 mph.

Pima Air & Space Museum executive director Yvonne Morris told Fox News, The arresting visual of the paper airplane in flight rekindled the childhood creativity in all of us.

The plane will go on display in the museum later this spring.