Mythbusters, Plane on a treadmill..

[Bushhatesyou]

Looks like they are going to finally put this one to bed.

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/mythbusters.html

Click on the part that says Plane Peek, to see a clip of it.

 

[Kream926]

i cant wait that long...

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Not this again!

 

[samballs]

Well I guess I'll start it. Those of you that went to academys I know they don't teach you anything but how to use the GPS. The speed of the tires does not make the plane fly, it is the airflow over the wings.

 

[fugghedabowdit]

Why is this even a controversy?

 

[crusader 22]

Somebody was listening to Boortz today.

 

[PCL_128]

Looks like they are going to finally put this one to bed.

This one was put to bed a long time ago for anyone that is actually in possession of an IQ above 70.

 

[MALSR]

That has to violate part 91 somewhere.

 

[F/O]

There is some great debate over this? Let me get this straight...no relative wind over the wing and there are people out there that think the airplane could get airborne?

 

[Herman Bloom]

People get upset about this because the specifics of the "scenario" are never clear. The "trick" in this question is: the plane can accelerate down the huge treadmill regardless of the treadmill (and hence the wheel rotational) speed, assuming of course that the wheel bearings are "frictionless" and don't fly off due to their tremendous rotational speed (which would be proportional to the plane's forward velolcity PLUS the additional rotational velocity created by the treadmill). In other words, the plane's engines -- which push against the air -- can overcome the reverse velocity created by the treadmill because they are independent variables.

You know what, it is stupid to try to explain this. Forget it.