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Originally Posted by KaneED
It was in fact resolved by Mythbusters.
The plane does take off and it's something to do with the wheels like Jakiri said.
It works because though the wheels turn with the treadmill or conveyer because they are essentially free spinning. The plane's motor is independent of this and so its motion is not countered by the treadmill going in the opposite direction at the same speed.
The issue is not so much that the conveyer cancels out the plane's forward thrust, but that, because the plane's wheels are free spinning, the opposite motion has no effect whatsoever on the plane's ability to accelerate
I don't know if that's clear I'm pretty confusd myself. I understand it but it's difficult to explain
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IN FACT it WASN'T resolved by
mythbusters.
First some small-scale tests were performed with a model airplane on a treadmill and the plane was able to take off. For the large-scale test, the MythBusters used a 400 pound ultralight aircraft with a 2000 foot tarp under it. The tarp was pulled backwards to simulate a moving runway. The ultralight pilot had no trouble taking off. This is because the thrust of the airplane engines acts on the air, not on the ground.
This guy's spelling isn't the best but he thinks the same as i do on this subject:
tom:
flawed test. The original hypothises was that the plane would not be moving over the ground. That was not the case in this test. Plane was moving before it took off and creating air over the wings which is what it takes for a plane to create lift. That light sport plane used in the experiment has a big engine for its weight and does not need much air flowing over the wings in order for it to fly. Myth is definetyley not busted that was the worst put together experiment I ever saw. Do it right myth guys and read up on basic aerodynamics so you know what should happen for a plane to fly.
January 30, 2008 at 10:17 PM
* THE TREADMILL MEANS THAT THE PLANE IS STATIONARY RELATIVE TO THE GROUND
* WITHOUT FORWARD MOTION THERE IS NO AIRFLOW OVER THE WINGS
* WITHOUT AIRFLOW OVER THE WINGS THERE IS NO LIFT
* WITH NO LIFT THE PLANE DOES NOT TAKE OFF!!!