If placed on a treadmill, is it possible for an aeroplane to take off?

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stokies

how would an aeroplane fit on a treadmill?

Sean the short

dont think so, thats just like asking whether the plane could take off from standstil

whole reason of the run up is to get the lift from wind/air resistance

Polo

Yes.... but only if it was a vertical take-off plane.

Future boy

bobby t

Most people would disagree, citing the evident lack of air resistance around the wings of the plane.

That is, only the wheels of the plane are moving, while the plane itself is stationary. Thus, it has no forward speed momentum and would therefore be impossible for the plane to take off.

BUT, it could take off in the following circumstances:

1. If the treadmill was around a mile long and was running at a few hundred miles per hour.

2. IF the plane has to be stationary on the treadmill, then place the treadmill with the plane on top of it onto the same treadmill as found in 1. Then pray that the plane disengages both treadmills as it takes off.

3. Alternatively, you could have a much smaller treadmill, but which runs at a higher speed and preferably 100ft or so above the ground. If it could hover it would be ideal. Once it gets to speed and the plane reaches the end of the treadmill, the velocity x the height would surely give the plane ample chance to recover from a probable nose dive and fly off serenely into the sunset.

Terri

HAHA I am not surprised this showed up here!

Mythbusters realllllllllllllly needs to handle this question, with a real plane and everything...

technocase

Toy one.

Adoptive Father

Do you read The Straight Dope? It is a syndicated question and answer column which answered this question not too long ago. I believe the website is www.straightdope.com.

Of course we are talking about a huge treadmill but the simple answer is that a treadmill makes very little difference. What makes a plane take off is the speed of air flowing over the plane's wings. The speed of the wheels has nothing to do with it. Whether the wheels are spinning at 100 miles er hour or 150 miles per hour or 200 miles per hour makes absolutely zero difference.

Yes, the plane takes off. With the same power and runway length to boot.

shell

Yes if it was a treadmill that did 500mph forwards and the pilot didn't try to taxi.

You'd be better off with some sort of huge catapult, maybe made out of all the passenger's underwear.

Wax Crayon

It could taxi around, and take off in the same direction the treadmill was moving.

Then it'd be easier to take off.

But seriously, it probably won't be on the RAF exam. It only came up once in the last five years.

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