Will it Fly?

[Matt]

We all know the topic. Lets see some support to get the ball rolling. I'm sure they would address this, and put this great debate to rest.

Link on Mythbusters Message Board

[burnws6]

uuuhhhhh......E=mc2/a2+b2=c2????

[Sarge]

No lift to the wings=no takeoff.

[mbrownin]

No lift to the wings=no takeoff.

That is certainly true, but in this case there WILL be lift over the wings and the plane WILL fly. The speed of the wheels, and consequently the conveyor are largely irrelevant. Unlike a car, where the wheels provide forward propulsion, the wheels of an airplane do not provide any forward momentum to the airplane. That is accomplished by the engine(s). If a plane applies enough power to pull/push it forward 100 mph, then the wheels, and conveyor would each simply be traveling at 200 mph, but the plane still will be traveling relative to the air at 100 mph, and the wings will be generating lift.

[The Scientist]

No its never going to make it onto the show because there is nothing to debate. This is what I have seen: people who don't know what they are talking about say it will fly and the people who do know what they are talking about (aircraft engineers) explain that it won't...unless it is a VSTOL aircraft, i.e. Harrier jet.

[The Scientist]

That is certainly true, but in this case there WILL be lift over the wings and the plane WILL fly. The speed of the wheels, and consequently the conveyor are largely irrelevant. Unlike a car, where the wheels provide forward propulsion, the wheels of an airplane do not provide any forward momentum to the airplane. That is accomplished by the engine(s). If a plane applies enough power to pull/push it forward 100 mph, then the wheels, and conveyor would each simply be traveling at 200 mph, but the plane still will be traveling relative to the air at 100 mph, and the wings will be generating lift.

Good point. Debate on... Maybe I posted it backwards???

[x10-wakerider]

NO it cant FLY! They would counter act each other and the airspeed would be reading 0! It is just like a human on a treadmill.

[BruZer28]

I don’t believe you guy’s are debating this, of course it will fly. Let’s get a good debate going, what if you put the same set up in a wind tunnel? As the plane moved forward you would increase the tail wind to match the plains forward movement.

[Red on Red WS6]

I don’t believe you guy’s are debating this, of course it will fly. Let’s get a good debate going, what if you put the same set up in a wind tunnel? As the plane moved forward you would increase the tail wind to match the plains forward movement.

It will take off on the conveyor belt, it's movement is from jet propulsion on the wings not the tires. As the plane is taking off though the wheels would be moving so fast the tires would probably blow. As far as the wind tunnel you could not generate any lift in a wind tunnel if a tail wind is matched so you could never take off.

[Red on Red WS6]

NO it cant FLY! They would counter act each other and the airspeed would be reading 0! It is just like a human on a treadmill.

A good way to think of this would be, your legs are moving forward and the treadmill is moving backwards counter acting each other like you say. Then someone comes along and pushes your shoulders forward like a jet would. Do you stay in the same spot even if the speed increases? No

[davidz28guy]

last time i saw this posted somewhere it took 50+ pages before everyone realized it would fly