i guess that is what makes it such a damn good question

the way mythbusters did it, of course it would take off.

the way a lot of people, myself included interperated it, it could never take off.

 

How did they do it on mythbusters? Air has to be traveling across the wings at a speed of about 100MPH (?) for it to lift, and then if there's no forward propulsion once it gets airborne, it will immediately fall back to the ground.

 

I think they had a truck with a looooooooooong piece of material behind it, with an ultra light weight plane on the material facing backwards, the truck went forwards and the plane took off like that, but unlike the internet debate - the plane was moving, it was not stationary like it would be on a treadmill.

 

Damnit...missed it...anybody have a vid of how it was done?

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MuXK1nr9_jg
http://youtube.com/watch?v=U9STo3fjfGg
I think there are some other ones just look up mythbusters

 

The only way that would work is if it took off in the same direction that the truck was moving. Planes have to take off into the wind.

 

on mythbusters they put down a long tarp and then the plane was a small perpeller plain.. the otheriside of the the tarp was attached to a pickup truck and both went a speed of 25MPH and the place kept moving a regular distance because the propeller moved the plane not the wheels. So the plane took off like normal. If anything doesn't make sense its because i just got back and im slightly drunk

 

No, because the speed of the plane eventually overpowered the truck (which wasn't going fast at all) so it had all of the wind it needed.

 

yah i gotta say that once you see it happen, it is pretty obvious, the question doesent define many parameters

I always assumed that the question was weather or not it would take off with a treadmill movingin the opposite direction, i never though about the plane itself moving forward, probably due to the nature of a treadmill.

A car in that scenario will not move forward because the propulsion comes from the wheels pushing against the ground, and if the ground is moving backwards, well, the car wont actually move forwards

the plane on the other hand uses propulsion but pulling itself against air, the treadmill may be moving, but the air isnt, so when the plane starts up it WILL move forward by pulling itself ahead with its propeller. The treadmill moves 40mph one direction, the plane 40mph the other direction, but the wheel speed is 80mph.

for some reason, i had limited myself to thinking that the treadmill was moving, and the wheels were moving, but the plane was not moving.

 

that's the key. everybody thinks of it like the plane is a car. but the wheels on a plane just hang out and roll freely, the engines generate thrust against the air behind the plane, which isn't affected by the treadmill.

 

i cant comment...i'm still trying to walk and chew gum at the same time

 

lol... i know damn good and well the wheels just turn, but i guess i was assuming the plane would be remaining in the same place as a parameter to the question, as if they were asking if the plane sitting on a treadmill would just lift up in the air

 

Well I wasn't talking about you specifically. Even I didn't really think the plane would take off but sure enough it did

 

Well you should be, lol, after all i was on here all barking out how stupid someone would have to be to think it was possible!

 

bullshit I never asked that question

 

Hey look what the cat dragged in! How's it going?

 

Whoa, speak of the devil! Where have you been?

 

around. dude, I cant post a f-in thread. It keeps saying "connection reset"

 

your wing is causing too much interference man.

 

Which happens to be the speed at which a Cessna 172 Skyhawk achieves enough lift to get it airborne...

Another thing to throw into the equation is temperature and humidity. Cold dense air will make an aircraft lift off far faster and in a shorter distance than hot, humid air...

 

can't we just let this damned thread die...

 

not if we keep bumping it