Airplane Question that Drove Me NUTS!!! - Electroboom

[Darklord]

Okay, I think maybe a part of what I was saying has been lost...maybe not,
although I've tried to keep it in focus.

I'm positing that the conveyor belt/treadmill is *powered*, not free rolling.

As it's powered it's able to keep up and match the thrust of the jet's engines.

The more power that the engines put out, the faster the conveyor belt goes,
matching exactly.

I've not been focusing on the wheels at all. Irrelevant.

Does that not make a difference? Thanks.

[exxos]

@Darklord It does not matter if the conveyor is powered or not. The plane simply cannot match the speed of the conveyor in any way shape or form because the wheels have bearings which are isolating the movement from the plane to the runway or conveyor.

[exxos]

I just watched a video of this on YouTube but the problem is they are basically saying no the plane cannot take off because the wheels would lead to mechanical failure because they are not rated for such great speeds.

So it depends if you want to take mechanical failure into the equation or not.

And like the wheel, around in circles we shall forever go :lol:

:2k2:

[exxos]

I am trying to find a full episode but not having much luck currently

[Darklord]

This experiment was flawed, IMHO.

Look at the cones - the plane is moving forward.

I've readily agreed, from the very start, that if the plane
can move forward there will be lift and it will take off.

What I've been talking about is, if the plane does not
move, there's no lift, thus no flight...

[mfro]

This experiment was flawed, IMHO.

Look at the cones - the plane is moving forward.

Why should it *not* move?

[Darklord]

Why should it *not* move?

It was on a giant (albeit simulated) conveyor belt...

[mfro]

Why should it *not* move?

It was on a giant (albeit simulated) conveyor belt...

Having wheels with bearings that produce a lot less friction forces in one direction than the engine produces thrust to the opposite. Result: moving.

[Darklord]

There just seems to be a disconnect here. Or maybe I'm the disconnect. :)

From my very first post in this message thread, I have fully acknowledged
that if the plane moves forward there will be lift and it will take off.

Also, from that very first post, I posited a situation where, through incredible
technology, or skill or luck or...magic? the conveyor belt is able to move fast
enough to completely match the thrust from the planes engines. Because it
is moving fast enough, despite any friction or other forces, to negate the
forward thrust of the planes engines, no movement (it seems to me).

Let's make it even more extreme though. Let's say that thrust from the
jets engines are at a point where 150mph is achievable. Now let's say
that the conveyor belt is running at an incredible 300mph - does the jet
still take off?

Thanks (and thanks for being patient with me).

[exxos]

There just seems to be a disconnect here. Or maybe I'm the disconnect. :)
? the conveyor belt is able to move fast
enough to completely match the thrust from the planes engines. Because it
is moving fast enough, despite any friction or other forces, to negate the
forward thrust of the planes engines, no movement (it seems to me).

All the belt is doing is spinning the wheels. It has basically zero effect on the plan.

If you held a plane in your hand on a tredmill, what speed the tredmill moves can't effect the plan at all.. other than the friction losses of the wheel bearings.but we don't need to take that into account.

The treadmill can move forwards or backwards or 5mph or 5000mph it doesn't care. It spins the wheels nothing more.

Then if you push the plane with your hands with the tredmill going backwards at 5000mph, it will move forward. Move it fast enough and the plane takes off.

Again the speed of the tredmill only turns the wheels. Speed and direction is irrelevant.

I really can't explain it any different. I suggest you read my magnet based post. Forget the wheels, use magnets to hold the plan above the runway.. then you will understand that the belt simply cannot affect the plane at all.