This turned into a HUGE thread on another forum and I am quite curious to know the answer to it. Please provide an explaination also.


A plane is standing on runway that can move (some sort of band conveyer). The plane moves in one direction, while the conveyer moves in the opposite direction. This conveyer has a control system that tracks the plane speed and tunes the speed of the conveyer to be exactly the same (but in opposite direction).

The question is:

Will the plane take off or not? Will it be able to run up and take off?

 

I say no, the plane is stationary compared to the air. It has to be moving through the air in order to take off, but the conveyor moving in the opposite direction at the exact speed of the plane will prevent that.

 

it can't. theres no air going around the wing, therefore theres no lift being created.


unless i'm missing someting.:thinking:

 

yep that would be the correct answer

 

Werd, I agree. That would be a huge conveyer strip thing!!!

 

What I'm wondering is how it turned into a huge thread. Did people actually say yes?

 

http://forum.physorg.com/index.php?showtopic=2417&st=0

http://forums.offtopic.com/showthread.php?t=2179616


If you have time to sort through the mumble jumbo :dunno: h:

 

I thought the same thing. But reading through the 2 threads, it got me thinking a bit because I know little about physics or whatever science this involves.

A plane does not move forward through the wheels, unlike a car. The thrust from the engines propel the plane forward. So someone used this example:

Image a small toy plane in the same situation. You are holding a rope that is attached to the plane, but you are not on the band. You are pulling the plane towards you, which is similar to the engines pushing the plane along the band. There is no doubt that the plane will start to move towards you regardless if the ground under it is moving right? So once the plane starts moving towards you, it is able to create lift, and thus fly.

:dunno: Is there something wrong with that comparison?

 

Theres only one way to find this out.....Mythbusters!!!!! Or someone get a toy plane and a way to test it on a grocery store belt..

I hate iTunes Consolidate Library thing and how it pops up when I am typing!!!

 

the answer is no. the relative speed of air to the plane is 0, and it needs a relative air speed beneath and over the wings to create a pressure differential to create lift. At least thats what 2nd year engineering tells me.