Can a Plane on a Treadmill Take Off?

On 3 Feb 2006 18:27:39 -0800, "cjcampbell"
wrote:

Saw this question on "The Straight Dope" and I thought it was amusing.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/060203.html

The question goes like this:

"An airplane on a runway sits on a conveyer belt that moves in the
opposite direction at exactly the speed that the airplane is moving
forward. Does the airplane take off?" (Assuming the tires hold out, of
course.)

Cecil Adams (world's smartest human being) says that it will take off
normally.

OK you got me thinking, I presently have a work crew making conveyor
so will give a full report soon.

Regards
Daveb

On 3 Feb 2006 18:27:39 -0800, "cjcampbell"
wrote:

Saw this question on "The Straight Dope" and I thought it was amusing.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/060203.html

The question goes like this:

"An airplane on a runway sits on a conveyer belt that moves in the
opposite direction at exactly the speed that the airplane is moving
forward. Does the airplane take off?" (Assuming the tires hold out, of
course.)

Cecil Adams (world's smartest human being) says that it will take off
normally.

No it won't.

And I'm surprised that I'm even responding to this.

Mike Weller

"Mike Weller" wrote

Cecil Adams (world's smartest human being) says that it will take off
normally.

No it won't.

And I'm surprised that I'm even responding to this.

Mike Weller

And yet another hapless soul falls into the trap! :)

BDS

Mike Weller wrote:

On 3 Feb 2006 18:27:39 -0800, "cjcampbell"
wrote:

Saw this question on "The Straight Dope" and I thought it was amusing.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/060203.html

The question goes like this:

"An airplane on a runway sits on a conveyer belt that moves in the
opposite direction at exactly the speed that the airplane is moving
forward. Does the airplane take off?" (Assuming the tires hold out, of
course.)

Cecil Adams (world's smartest human being) says that it will take off
normally.

No it won't.

And I'm surprised that I'm even responding to this.

Mike Weller

g

Let this be a lesson to you: whenever replying to a posted riddle or
puzzle that has over 100 replies, it might be a good idea to read some
of those replies to avoid falling into a well-set trap!

--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

On Mon, 06 Feb 2006 14:11:45 -0500, alexy wrote:


Let this be a lesson to you: whenever replying to a posted riddle or
puzzle that has over 100 replies, it might be a good idea to read some
of those replies to avoid falling into a well-set trap!

Yes, and thank you. I've only touched the tip of the ice on this one.

Mike Weller

"alexy"

avoid falling into a well-set trap!



I wouldn't call this a trap, it's simply a physics question that about 25%
of the respondents picks "won't take off".



Having gone through this once already in another group, the one thing that
stands out in my mind is that intelligence seems to have nothing to do with
how someone will answer. I have seen highly intelligent people insist that
the airplane won't move and they are willing to robustly defend their
position.



I would be at a loss to explain the difference between the minds of both
groups. Rick Durden's article suggests that those with engineering or math
backgrounds tend to side with the "will take off" group. I haven't seen
that correlation at all.





Dallas

I would be at a loss to explain the difference between the
minds of both groups.

Well, the difference is simply that someone looks at the tree, someone
else looks at the forest and sees the problem in its integrity.

Everyone that answers "Won't take off" don't think that the runway is
NOT a relevant element to make an airplane take off. The airplane works
in the air whether or not the wheels are on the ground.

Piero

wrote)
[snip]
The airplane works in the air whether or not the wheels are on the ground.


BUT...the AIRplane isn't in the AIR yet!

Gravity, wheels, belt, zero airspeed. Once the wings get some lift under
them, sure...

But just like a plane sitting on the tarmac, our plane is still heavy enough
to rest on those happy little spinning wheels.

It's not a frigg'n blimp!


Montblack 83.7
More from the double-diget crowd.

Depends on how long the treadmill is....
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.

No one has thought of the other limitation: the airplane could fall off
the edge of the world.