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Old Jan 4, 2008 | 07:17 AM
  #80  
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LT
The deer had to die!
 
Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Fussa, Japan
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Originally Posted by Pete
So if a plane had no wheels, it would still take off? I see what you're saying, but the plane is heavy and all the weight is on the wheels.
No, because the friction coefficient between the fuselage and runway would be too great for the engines to overcome. Hence, the wheel which is the centerpoint for gravity forces against the airframe to meet the runway on a small contact patch. This gives planes the ability to take off. A moving runway opposite the planes take-off trajectory will only spin the wheels 2x faster than the planes speed. However, the thrust of the engines will still push the airframe against that small friction up the conveyor to take-off speeds.


edit: you keep editing so I have to keep updating this. First, gravity is pulling the plane down. Atmospheric pressure is pushing the plane down. You're thinking of physics involving power to the wheels. The wheels on a plane have no use other than to suspend the fuselage off the ground, reduced friction upon take-off, and make landing easier.

Last edited by LT; Jan 4, 2008 at 07:23 AM.
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