So...about that plane on the treadmill...

"Travis Marlatte" wrote in message
et...
"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jose wrote:

The wheels don't have to push on anything for an aircraft to take
off...there's no drivetrain feeding power to the wheels!

Right. Phrasing it the way I did may get people to realize this, or at
least to think about it themselves.

If you put an airplane on the roof of a speeding train, would it take
off? What if the train were shaped like a runway? What if it were very
thin?

hmmmm, if you put the airplane on, say, a fast moving ship, could it
take off?

I wonder....

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate


I don't think so. I've seen videos of planes launching from an aircraft
carrier (that's a fast moving ship, right) fall right off the end. I guess
it's because the forward motion of the carrier negated the forward thrust
of the plane.


What you saw was an aircraft that failed to achieve and or retain a critical
airspeed. Either the catapult failed or the engine failed or, well any
number of things. There is a reason carriers turn into the wind to launch
aircraft. There is also a reason that carriers can't launch fixed wing
aircraft while tied to the dock. Well they might be able to but a lot of
things have to be perfect.

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote in message
...

"Travis Marlatte" wrote in message
et...
"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jose wrote:

The wheels don't have to push on anything for an aircraft to take
off...there's no drivetrain feeding power to the wheels!

Right. Phrasing it the way I did may get people to realize this, or at
least to think about it themselves.

If you put an airplane on the roof of a speeding train, would it take
off? What if the train were shaped like a runway? What if it were
very
thin?

hmmmm, if you put the airplane on, say, a fast moving ship, could it
take off?

I wonder....

--
Bob Noel
Looking for a sig the
lawyers will hate


I don't think so. I've seen videos of planes launching from an aircraft
carrier (that's a fast moving ship, right) fall right off the end. I
guess it's because the forward motion of the carrier negated the forward
thrust of the plane.


What you saw was an aircraft that failed to achieve and or retain a
critical airspeed. Either the catapult failed or the engine failed or,
well any number of things. There is a reason carriers turn into the wind
to launch aircraft. There is also a reason that carriers can't launch
fixed wing aircraft while tied to the dock. Well they might be able to but
a lot of things have to be perfect.


Thanks. But it was a joke. I do question the word "can't" in your
explanation. I would believe "can't launch some fixed wing aircraft but not
as a general statement.

--
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK

"Travis Marlatte" wrote in message
...
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote in message
What you saw was an aircraft that failed to achieve and or retain a
critical airspeed. Either the catapult failed or the engine failed or,
well any number of things. There is a reason carriers turn into the wind
to launch aircraft. There is also a reason that carriers can't launch
fixed wing aircraft while tied to the dock. Well they might be able to
but a lot of things have to be perfect.


Thanks. But it was a joke. I do question the word "can't" in your
explanation. I would believe "can't launch some fixed wing aircraft but
not as a general statement.


That's why I added the sentence that immediately follows the one you have a
problem with.

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote in message
...

"Travis Marlatte" wrote in message
...
"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote in message
What you saw was an aircraft that failed to achieve and or retain a
critical airspeed. Either the catapult failed or the engine failed or,
well any number of things. There is a reason carriers turn into the wind
to launch aircraft. There is also a reason that carriers can't launch
fixed wing aircraft while tied to the dock. Well they might be able to
but a lot of things have to be perfect.


Thanks. But it was a joke. I do question the word "can't" in your
explanation. I would believe "can't launch some fixed wing aircraft but
not as a general statement.


That's why I added the sentence that immediately follows the one you have
a problem with.


I guess I get your point but it still seems to be overstated. Are
restricting your definition of "fixed wing aircraft" to those types
typically launched from aircraft carriers? Maybe I'm taking you too
literally but you seem to be saying that there are no fixed wing planes that
can do a normal takeoff with no headwind advantage in the length of an
aircraft carrier. I find that hard to believe. How about a Piper Cub?
-------------------------------
Travis
Lake N3094P
PWK