Can a Plane on a Treadmill Take Off?

("Tony" wrote)
An aircraft would need no additional power to accelerate to 60 on a
treadmill.


Yeah, well I just set that sucker to...."Incline Setting # 12"

If you set your comms to the frequency, posted up there under that TV in
front of you, you'll be able to listen to Oprah.


Montblack

Jim wrote:
If the brtakes
were set, the treadmill would roll and the airplane would
likely come to a stop when it departed the treadmill unless
it was alrady at flying speed.

Reminds me of a joke, How does a navy pilot know if his LG are up?
When it takes full power to taxi g

The Monk

Tony wrote:

cjcampbell wrote

If the car's airspeed indicator said 60 then the speedometer will
indicate 120. But the car would then need to expend the same energy to
accelerate to 60 as it would to accelerate to 120 on a stationary road.

Wrong. The energy required to spin the wheels at 120 MPH isn't at all
the same as that required to accelerate the entire car to 120 MPH.


Matt

On the contrary, the problem clearly states that the conveyor is moving at
the speed that the plane is moving (but in the opposite direction). If the
plane is not moving, the conveyor would not be moving. If the conveyor is
moving, the plane MUST be moving. If it's moving fast enough, it will take
off.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
Greg,

If you have a motoroized conveyor which
always reduces the plane's forward movement to zero,


Nowhere does it say that in the question.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Alex wrote:
Totally irrelevant. The answer is the same for a glider being towed to
take-off by a ground vehicle (except that you would want to change the
rear end or wheel size of the vehicle to cut the final drive ratio in
half, so that it could attain the doubled wheel speed necessary to
attain the needed forward speed.)

Just as the propellor on a plane is independent of the treadmill, the
tow car in your scenario must also be independent of the treadmill, ie.
running along side on solid ground while the glider is on the
treadmill. Co-Peach? (That's my Italian LOL)

The Monk

We don't have enough information. What color is the airplane? What
ratings does the pilot have? How many postings will this thread have
before it dies?

Tony wrote:

We don't have enough information. What color is the airplane? What
ratings does the pilot have? How many postings will this thread have
before it dies?


This thread sure beats all of the one's posted lately on plane crashes.
I'd much rather contemplate this than hear gory details about another
crash. I just don't understand folks who get their jollies posting that
stuff.


Matt

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
On the contrary, the problem clearly states that the conveyor is moving at
the speed that the plane is moving (but in the opposite direction).

The statement "the conveyor is moving at the speed that the plane is moving"
(the one you say the problem states) is a very different statement from
"which always reduces the plane's forward movement to zero" (the statement
Thomas responded to).

How is your post contrary to Thomas'?

Pete

"Flyingmonk" wrote:

Alex wrote:
Totally irrelevant. The answer is the same for a glider being towed to
take-off by a ground vehicle (except that you would want to change the
rear end or wheel size of the vehicle to cut the final drive ratio in
half, so that it could attain the doubled wheel speed necessary to
attain the needed forward speed.)

Just as the propellor on a plane is independent of the treadmill, the
tow car in your scenario must also be independent of the treadmill, ie.
running along side on solid ground while the glider is on the
treadmill. Co-Peach? (That's my Italian LOL)

The Monk

That's a possibility, but I was assuming a tow car ONE the conveyor.
So even with the drive wheels on the conveyor, it can still take off.
--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

sure, in our imaginary world. in the real world nobody will
try this so mechanical limitations are unimportant.


"alexy" wrote in message
news | "Jim Macklin"
wrote:
|
|
| b. If the treadmill was powered [and everything was
timed
| in sync] the belt would be accelerating rearward and the
| engine thrust would be pulling forward at the same rate,
| thus the airframe mounted wigs would have near zero
airspeed
| and lift and would not fly.
|
| Just to "set the hook" here, are you saying that it will
be possible
| to have the conveyer move backwards fast enough that the
plane remains
| still, even under full power, and with no brakes on?
| --
| Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email.
Checked infrequently.