This invention is directed to a paper-making machine utilizing rotating cylinders, especially dryer cylinders, with a drying felt intertwined about the dryer cylinders to compress the wet paper against the dryer cylinders as the wet paper travels therealong. A threading doctor assembly with a blowpipe air nozzle blowing system is associated with each dryer cylinder. When air is flowing into the blowpipe blowing system, the leading tail of the wet paper is directed from the preceding dryer cylinder to the next. A proximity sensor associated with each threading doctor assembly is in communication with a controller and is positioned to determine if the wet paper is within a detection area. Air valves or solenoids coupled between an air supply system and the blowpipes are also coupled to the controller. As the leading tail of the paper is detected by a proximity sensor to be within the detection area, the next several solenoids associated with the next several threading doctors in the paper advance direction are activated. As well, solenoids associated with the blowpipes of the threading doctors that are more than two or three behind the proximity sensor, relative to the paper advance direction are deactivated. Such sequencing of blowpipes as the leading tail advances through the system reduces the air supply pressure necessary for the system.