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

[Nonsense]

Is it Air Malaysia?

 

[weed]

 

[odog]

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

How about it, science ?

I'm guessing land is cheaper than gigantic treadmills. Also they need a place to land.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

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

How about it, science ?

akuz the plane still needs to move

 

[Count Zero]

I'm guessing land is cheaper than gigantic treadmills. Also they need a place to land.

akuz the plane still needs to move

Let's not allow small details to hold back progress.

 

[BJ@LW&WW]

I'm guessing land is cheaper than gigantic treadmills. Also they need a place to land.

but if the plane lands on a giant treadmill thats rollin in the op direction it dont need alladat landing space roight.

 

[Reyesnuthugr]

I feel like there must be more to this story

 

[LatFlare]

If Liam Neesoon tries to stop it from taking off then no, otherwise yes.

 

[Bukowski82]

Are Jenny and Carly on the plane?

Only if it's headed to the 'Eiffel Tower.'

 

[Basil**]

If the treadmill was fast enough, wouldn't the plane not be moving at all, and therefore unable to generate lift?

 

[Bukowski82]

Also if the plane moves forward and the wings pass through that air, it will create lift. Enough lift... and the plane will take off.

I'm no Commercial Airline Pilot, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[Codger]

It takes off unless the pilot uses the brakes. Otherwise it makes no difference because the wheels are free-spinning and so the backward movement of the runway doesn't affect the plane once it has enough thrust to overcome the slight rolling resistance.

 

[sohocanaan22]

No cheating.

The treadmill reciprocates at a rate equivalent to 75 MPH.

Explain that quote, por favor. As you would to a five-year-old.

And tell us how fast your plane would have to go in order to lift-off from standard terra firma under the same conditions: weather, resistance, etc.

 

[BobSappIsMyDad]

Didn't they already test something like that on Mythbusters?

 

[minute bull]

Yes, and it kills me that saying "two thousand and late" is so two thousand and late.

 

[BPA00]

I think the plane would take off like normal, the wheels, which aren't connected to a drive train like they are with a car, would just be spinning an extra 75mph over normal takeoff speed while the velocity of the plane itself would be what it is normally. Thus, normal air moving under wings and normal lift for takeoff. The only effect might be some slight initial resistance from the rolling friction, but the thrust of a jet liner could easily overcome that.

Think of it this way... If you put a bicycle on this treadmill, then you would have no chance of riding it since the back wheel which is connected to the treadmill is required for propulsion. At 75mph you'd actually eat sh*t pretty bad. However, if you left the bicycle on the treadmill but you were standing off to the side of the treadmill holding onto it, you could easily push it forward at whatever speed you wanted to walk/run, because now the wheels are spinning freely and the propulsion system (you) isn't connected to the treadmill... the wheels would just be spinning really fast.

 

[ZERO THEORY]

Explain that quote, por favor. As you would to a five-year-old.

The treadmill's RPM has the equivalent effect on the plane as though it were traveling 75 MPH down a static runway.

And tell us how fast your plane would have to go in order to lift-off from standard terra firma under the same conditions: weather, resistance, etc.

Let's say that in the same conditions, the plane leaves the tarmac at 80 MPH.

 

[Like A Bas]

I hear some rueful chattering coming from my goblet full of Jim Croce's teeth

 

[RerouteToRemain]

Explain that quote, por favor. As you would to a five-year-old.

And tell us how fast your plane would have to go in order to lift-off from standard terra firma under the same conditions: weather, resistance, etc.

A 747 needs an airspeed of approximately 150-180mph to have enough lift to take off depending on weather and payload. So let's just say it's 150 mph. It you had a 20 mph headwind you would only need to be going approximately 130 mph (ground speed) to take off.

 

[computer fogie]

Not reading any posts, but just think about your question.

"Will spinning the wheels on a stationary plane make it somewhow rise into the sky?"

The answer is no. It takes lift, generated by passing air over the wings, to make a plane fly. Not picking on you TS, but this is an incredibly dumb question.