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).

Will the plane be able to take off?

Is there wind? Which direction? How big is the plane? Is it really a plane? Is this a serious question?

Out of my thread!

i don't think it will

Care to elaborate?

i can't elaborate with big words and such but..
i think its because, due to how airplanes are made, their velocity or something, comes from their own engine.
if it were to rely on the treadmill, then the airplanes flight engines would have to be significantly stronger.

:unsure:

Well, I know that this would not work for a space ship. Because linear momentum is conserved, when a space ship loses (uses) fuel, it propels forward. I'm not sure if airplanes work the same, but if they do, I would say that no, the conveyor belt would not work.

I would say no cause a if this would happen the plane would be standing still and just the wheels would be moving. Airplanes get lift by the air going over/under there wings which comes from moving down the running way. Just because the plane is using its jets or propellers it is just going to be standing still cause the treadmill will be matching its wheel speed. Thus there is no air moving around the windgs so there is no lift = no fly.

Oh, I misread it. Definately not if the plane is just standing still. As CPC said, the lift is provided by the air flow around the wings.

Is the treadmill powered in any way? I think it would take off. :lol: "I think I can, I think I can!"

It will take off.

A planes wheels are free spinning, it gets it's trust from either the props or jet engines. No matter how fast the treadmill moves it will never impede the forward motion of the plane. There is no mechanical connection between the wheels of a plane and the actual trust engines.

If the treadmill were set to clock the planes speed and match it in the opposite direction all you would end up with is a plane traveling at normal speed but with it's wheels moving twice as fast.

Since the treadmill speed would have no effect on the speed of the plane it would take off as normal.

The only thing (well probably not only, but the most important) that matters is the relative velocity of the airfoils and the air.

No, if the treadmill is moving in the opposite direction at the exact same speed, then there's no air flowing past the plane = no lift

Just because the treadmill is moving in the opposite direction doesn't mean the plane won't move. For the plane to remain perfectly still relative to the air around it the treadmill would have to be applying equal backward force to the direction of the thrusters.

The plane wouldn't take off if it was just sitting on the ground, however it is on wheels so the wheels will just spin faster and faster as the plane picks up speed.

The speed of the wheels is in no way related to the speed of the plane relative to the air around it, which is what the key point here is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_on_conveyor_belt_problem
/thread
nice copy pasta btw!

The ability to answer this question relies on your knowledge of airplanes...whatever, still cool.

EDIT- nevermind, I'm an idiot. :clap: for RippDrive

Wikipedia, a I choose yoooooooooooooooou!

-:clap: for RippDrive

+1 :ilulz: for rippdrive