Lets test the board’s brain trust….

[hedjug]

I found this question posted on two other sites BS boards. One a car racing board, one a pleasure boating forum. Then I posted the question on a rival fishing site, they are all failing. Lets see how smart you fellers are... I found the question to be easy, but the thread & arguments seem on for pages & pages.

Question:
A plane is standing on a runway that can move (like a giant conveyor
belt). This conveyor has a control system that tracks the plane's
speed and tunes the speed of the conveyor to be exactly the same (but
in the opposite direction) instantly.

Will the plane be able to take off?

[Murph]

I found this question posted on two other sites BS boards. One a car racing board, one a pleasure boating forum. Then I posted the question on a rival fishing site, they are all failing. Lets see how smart you fellers are... I found the question to be easy, but the thread & arguments seem on for pages & pages.

Question:
A plane is standing on a runway that can move (like a giant conveyor
belt). This conveyor has a control system that tracks the plane's
speed and tunes the speed of the conveyor to be exactly the same (but
in the opposite direction) instantly.

Will the plane be able to take off?

Uh no if the conveyor and the plane are traveling at the same speed but in opposite directions then the plane isnt going anywhere.

[rookiefisher]

No, since the plane isnt actually moving across the ground, no down force is created. Basically it's sitting still.

maybe?

[HOLWACHAGOT]

The plane will take off fine. The landing gear wheels will be spinning twice as fast though. HOLWACHAGOT

[Capt_John]

Hmmmmm......never knew a plane could stand.

[gradywhite273]

no, the plane is standing, how can it takeoff.

tim

[matey8941]

the plane will not take off cause its not moving forward....the conveyor is moving it....it might take off but it will crash....or the conveyor will end...i had this question in science last year

[matey8941]

found it online..... The plain will not take off because the plain is not moving foward so there is no momentum that will cary the plain threw the air. Air has to be moving over the air plain's wings. If the plain does not move foward and the wind blows over it's wings it will lift off the ground but it will eather come back down

[KEY-LIME-PIE]

In this senerio there is no lift applied under the wings of the aircraft. Regardless of how fast the wheels are spinning the forces of lift and drag are needed to creat flight.


Tom

[35Nauset]

NO
The plane isnt creating any lift. The wheels are spinning but no air is traveling over the wings. Therefore, it cant take off.

Think of it as a person on a treadmill, do you feel wind while running on one? no.