Plane on a treadmill

[Drummerboy]

“Imagine a plane is sitting on a massive conveyor belt, as wide and as long as a runway. The conveyer belt is designed to exactly match the speed of the wheels, moving in the opposite direction. Can the plane take off? “I say no, because the plane will not move relative the the ground and air, and thus, very little air will flow over the wings. However, other people are convinced that since the wheels of a plane are free spinning, and not powered by the engines, and the engines provide thrust against the air, that somehow that makes a difference and air will flow over the wing.”

discuss.

[-EnVus-]

Mythbusters already did this one

[Drummerboy]

But they did it with a propeller plane ( i didnt see the episode) but from what i've heard, there were a few things that make it different.

[-EnVus-]

It was a single propeller plane and a jet propulsion plane would do the same its gonna suck the air much faster and lift

[Echonova]

We had a Plane on a treadmill thread already, but I can't find it ATM. But regardless... Yes the plane will take off.


Anyone that says otherwise rides the short bus. The wheels will just be spinning twice as fast as the plane's air speed.

[David88vert]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YORCk1BN7QY

[Doppelgänger]

Did you really just "find" this on the internet of post it?

[Browning151]

We had a Plane on a treadmill thread already, but I can't find it ATM. But regardless... Yes the plane will take off.


Anyone that says otherwise rides the short bus. The wheels will just be spinning twice as fast as the plane's air speed.

This.

Planes wheels have nothing to do with propelling the aircraft.

[so_jdm]

if there isnt any air flowing under the wings to create lift then the plane wont take off...watch the mythbusters clip, the plane is clearly moving forward in the video fast enough to create lift. if a plane was on a conveyor and sitting still then how could it take off? if this was the case why would a plane need a runway to take off? wouldnt it just throttle wide open and just go up into the air?

[Echonova]

Uh... Maybe?


~stirs pot~

[Vteckidd]

if there isnt any air flowing under the wings to create lift then the plane wont take off...watch the mythbusters clip, the plane is clearly moving forward in the video fast enough to create lift. if a plane was on a conveyor and sitting still then how could it take off? if this was the case why would a plane need a runway to take off? wouldnt it just throttle wide open and just go up into the air?

youre mixing the argument.

A plane needs lift or air over its wings, which is why we have a runway. The ENGINES ON THE WINGS propel the aircraft down the runway which creates lift and it takes off.

If a plane was on a conveyor belt, it would also take off, because the speed at which the conveyor matches the planes wheels, means, its traveling, which means there will be air over the wings which means lift.

what screws most people up is for some reason the conveyor belt matching the speed of its wheels somehow means the plane is stationary , which isnt true. it isnt a car. the engines are pushing the plane forward regardless, and there is air/wind created.

to answer your question, if airports built tons of conveyor belts that could magically match the speed of a planes wheels, then yes, no runways would be needed. But i suspect concrete is much cheaper and efficient at doing the job.

[BanginJimmy]

The plane would not be stationary. The plane would take off as normal. I'd hate to be the mechanic that has to replace those bearings though.

[Doppelgänger]

What if you took the wheels of the plane of put it on small boats so the plane could float on water and tried to take off from a river pointing upstream with a current of 30 mph? I don't think it will take off because a plane must have wheels on the ground to take off. Everyone knows that.

[Echonova]

Wait... Now were talking about planes on water? Ridiculous.

If planes could float they wouldn't make the seat cushions to use as flotation devices.

[Vteckidd]

If planes could float, they be called a fucking boat

[Catnip]

If planes could float, they be called a fucking boat

Unless the boat could fly...


then it'd be a plane

[Doppelgänger]

This shit is blowin' my mind! Planes that float and boats that fly? No way!!!

[David88vert]

This shit is blowin' my mind! Planes that float and boats that fly? No way!!!

and the boat can fly...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKn1_SU8z2I

[Doppelgänger]

Oh shit, I just saw a flying lawnmower....we're all fucked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNWfqVWC2KI

So what happens if you put the flying lawnmower on a fine cut bermuda grass surface as opposed to concrete or astroturf? Will it take off? Discuss...