View Single Post
  #3  
Old September 25th 06, 02:08 AM posted to rec.aviation.piloting
Peter Duniho
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 774
Default Two conveyor belt scenarios

wrote in message
ups.com...
An airplane lands on a conveyor belt that's moving at a constant speed
of Vref

(a) in the direction of the airplane's landing
(b) in the opposite direction of the airplane's landing

What do you suppose will happen? (b) will be rather more dicey than
(a), methinks. Presume a healthy long runway for the moment...


We had this thread already. Looks like r.a.student had it already too. See
Google Groups.

Bottom line: since an airplane doesn't rely on the wheels for propulsion,
conveyor belts have nothing to do with whether an airplane can land or
takeoff, regardless of whether that conveyor belt is moving or not moving,
forward or backward.

During takeoff, there are no real secondary issues. During landing, braking
may be an issue, but at that point the question has nothing to do with
airplanes.

Pete