Pop quiz: could a plane on a giant treadmill take off?

[ZERO THEORY]

No cheating.

A Boeing 747 sits atop a five mile long treadmill. The treadmill reciprocates at a rate equivalent to 75 MPH. Can the plane take flight? Go.

 

[Grunk]

so 2007 man......

 

[Stump]

Yup. Lift relates to the air moving over the wings of the plane which is a function of the plane moving through the air.

This movement is unaffected by the treadmill, and so the plane generates lift in the same way it normally would, despite the tires being on the treadmill.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

No cheating.

A Boeing 747 sits atop a five mile long treadmill. The treadmill reciprocates at a rate equivalent to 75 MPH. Can the plane take flight? Go.

Edit: did not see the 5 mile long part.

Yes.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Yup. Lift relates to the air moving over the wings of the plane which is a function of the plane moving through the air.

This movement is unaffected by the treadmill, and so the plane generates lift in the same way it normally would, despite the tires being on the treadmill.

Edit ^ same as above.

 

[PolishHeadlock]

Are Jenny and Carly on the plane?

 

[Krav McGraw]

This has been done to death. Just google it. The answer is yes.

 

[dabausplaya]

Depends how many fatties are on the plane

 

[JBSchroeds]

Of course it can. The thrust output of the engine acts directly on the aircraft, not the ground like in a car. This means that the wheels spin freely at the airspeed+treadmill speed.

Do you even Mythbusters, bro?

 

[Tycho- Taylor's Version]

Paging Schroeds, OldGoat, Doughbelly, realdope, Prok, etc...

Ah, Schroeds is already here.

 

[metal]

Are Jenny and Carly on the plane?

I hope so.

 

[Plutoburn]

I hope so.

Then it should crash.

 

[frye666]

No? I figure the plane has to reach a certain speed to "lift" And if the plane is actually being slowed down by 75mph, it won't get enough air lift.



It is actually a dumb question. With a 5 mile long runway, and a plane capable of speeds so great, the 75 mph isn't even a factor.

 

[cabear]

yes it takes off. wheels are just their to hold it up on the tarmac. Power comes from turbines, that thrust is independent of wheels

 

[blakethemus]

Is the plane MH370???

 

[Paynebringer]

No cheating.

A Boeing 747 sits atop a five mile long treadmill. The treadmill reciprocates at a rate equivalent to 75 MPH. Can the plane take flight? Go.

So the plane is sitting on the treadmill as it reciprocates while the plane gathers take off speed for flight? No! I say the plane needs to gather it's own speed on still and stable surface for flight given distance and speed of treadmill.

I do think plane takes off but not at end of 5 mile treadmill.

 

[ZERO THEORY]

Edit: did not see the 5 mile long part.

No? I figure the plane has to reach a certain speed to "lift" And if the plane is actually being slowed down by 75mph, it won't get enough air lift.

I do think plane takes off but not at end of 5 mile treadmill.

Try again.

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Try again.

Try what again. I edited to say yes it would. I first answered no because I didn't see how large the treadmill was.

 

[dirtypablo]

No? I figure the plane has to reach a certain speed to "lift" And if the plane is actually being slowed down by 75mph, it won't get enough air lift.



It is actually a dumb question. With a 5 mile long runway, and a plane capable of speeds so great, the 75 mph isn't even a factor.

The speed of the treadmill doesnt matter.

 

[Count Zero]

So why don't we have all planes on treadmills, to save space

How about it, science ?