Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
Download the Airplane pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. A commercial jet airliner shown from a three-quarter overhead angle is rendered as one clean silhouette: swept wings, twin engines under each wing, a small T-tail, and a stubby nose all read instantly when lit. The entire plane shape is carved away as a single large negative space, so the pumpkin wall forms a crisp orange outline around the aircraft. Because the wingtip points are narrow and fragile, score those corners last and use a fresh blade to keep the tips from tearing. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 45-60 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 13"): print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+): print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5 to 10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and help it last longer.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 45-60 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Cut the tail and engine notches first. Start at the small shapes: the twin engine bumps on each wing edge and the notched tail fins at the lower left. Cut into each notch from both sides so the corners stay sharp.
- Cut the nose and wings. Follow the long straight edges of both swept wings and around the rounded nose at the upper right. Long smooth strokes work best here.
- Release the fuselage last. The whole plane is one large plug. Leave a small tab mid-fuselage, support the piece from behind, then cut the tab and ease the plane out in one piece; take it in halves if it binds.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. Here's the kit we reach for, but start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
View on Amazon ↗
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon ↗
Reviews from carvers
Every rating comes from a written review by someone who downloaded this stencil.
Carved this one?
Reviews are open to carvers who downloaded the stencil. Grab the free PDF, then come back and tell everyone how it went.
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
More patterns with a related subject. Compare their skill levels before you choose.
Beginner-friendlyFighter Jet Pumpkin Stencil
A military fighter jet viewed from a three-quarter above angle is silhouetted as a single connected cutout in this vehicles pumpkin stencil, with swept delta wings, twin tail fins, and a detailed cockpit bump all readable in the clean outline. The narrow tail fins at the rear are the most fragile elements of the design. Score and cut those tail fin points before opening the large body void, so the thin tips have the full wall's rigidity behind them while the blade passes through.
Beginner-friendlyOff-Road 4x4 Pumpkin Stencil
An open-top jeep faces left in a clean side-profile pumpkin stencil, showing the boxy body, roll bar, two large round tires, a spare tire mounted on the hood, and a small hitch at the rear. The body cavity and the two wheel holes are pierced through while the roll bar and body outline remain as solid pumpkin flesh. To keep the narrow roll bar from snapping, cut the large body opening first and work inward toward that bar, not the other way around.
AdvancedFarm Tractor Pumpkin Stencil
A side-view farm tractor fills this hard-level pumpkin stencil: a large rear wheel with a circular hub and cross-spoke cutouts, a small front wheel with a curved fender, a boxy cab section with cut-out windows, a squared hood, and a vertical exhaust stack. The rear wheel dominates the lower half of the composition and has the most intricate internal detail. Cut the cab windows and exhaust stack openings first while the pumpkin is still fully intact, then work on the large rear wheel spokes last, since removing them will flex the surrounding skin considerably.
AdvancedSemi-Truck Pumpkin Stencil
A classic eighteen-wheeler semi-truck cab shown in side profile fills this hard pumpkin stencil: a tall exhaust stack, a flat-topped sleeper cab with rectangular window cutouts, a step board, side mirrors, dual front headlights, and two large open wheel wells with small oval lug-nut details. The design reads as a cleanly geometric vehicle silhouette when lit, with the cab windows and wheel openings glowing brightest. Start with the cab window rectangles and the small mirror cutout before opening the large wheel wells, which would flex the lower pumpkin skin if cut first.
AdvancedMotorcycle Pumpkin Stencil
A side-profile motorcycle fills this hard pumpkin stencil with mechanical detail: the front fork and handlebars, a sculpted fuel tank, streamlined seat fairing, and two large concentric-ring wheels. The design uses a mix of solid pumpkin bridges and open cut areas so the bike reads as a crisp silhouette when the jack-o-lantern is lit. The thin fork tubes and the thin strip separating the seat from the rear fairing are the most fragile elements. Carve the two large wheel ring sections first to establish the bottom of the composition before working inward through the frame details.
AdvancedCruise Ship Pumpkin Stencil
A large cruise ship viewed from a slight bow-angle fills this hard pumpkin stencil. Four tall rectangular smokestacks rise from the upper deck, the bridge superstructure runs along the top, and five circular portholes line the hull below the waterline. The design reads as a series of rectangular and circular cutouts separated by solid pumpkin strips. When lit, the port holes and superstructure windows glow individually like a ship at sea. Carve the five round portholes first since circular cuts benefit most from a fresh blade, then work upward through the rectangular deck openings.