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Old Nov 26, 2005 | 06:07 PM
  #40  
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Bl@ck
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From: NoVA
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all the lift and drag aside, it is an impossibility for a conveyor belt to hold an airplane with engines at full tilt stationary. aircraft wheels consist of tires, breaks, and linkage to the airplane. the only resistance is that of the brakes and only if depressed. with that said, no matter how fast this magical conveyor turns, it will not be able to limit forward momentum because the wheels act similar to brtecson's matchbox analogy. the thrust from the engines will push the aircraft forward regardless of how fast the conveyor turns thus generating lift to get off the ground.

the wheels and conveyor in this scenario have absolutely no bearing on the airplanes ability to create and maintain forward momentum. they are completely seperate from each other. this scenario is misleading in that it offers factors that are unnecessary to the equation in a way that, at first glance, seem necessary.
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