Mythbusters, Plane on a treadmill..

[go!ng for broke]

I guess that would be me then. The demonstration portrayed on the show did not meet the elements of the test in a very necessary way. Namely, the conveyor belt (tarp) was not moving as fast as the plane's wheels were moving. As evidence, you can see the traffic cones marking the takeoff distance. If the tarp was being pulled the same speed as the wheels, the plane would not have passed a single cone. Instead, it passed the last one at lift off.

The error in the test design was moving the tarp at takeoff speed and not the plane's wheel speed which was faster.

I have not yet realized an error in my original thinking and do, in fact, insist that a plane tested under the right conditions will not take off.

If I had a dog as ugly as you are stupid, I would shave it's a$$ and make it walk backwards...

 

[CFI2766]

There must have been a malfuntion of the flux capacitor on the 'airplane' on the show. (Note the very generous use of the term 'airplane'.)

The crux of this 'debate' is all in how the question is worded. Ferinstance, if the plane really was on a treadmill, would the crew still have to be on board 55 minutes prior to departure to do everyone else's job in getting the flight away from the gate? As welll, if the plane really had a relative motion of zero, but was boarded, with the beacon blinking and door closed, would that make Shaneekwa in the tower quit asking us "WHY YOU AINT BORDED YET?!?!" Finally, if in this same situation, i.e. engines turning, but no relative motion, would the delay ultimately be recorded as "Crew SNAFU-Late completion of checklists"?


One more time, especially you PCL, repeat after me "Bernoulli was right: no relative motion, no possible flight..."

 

[CFI2766]

If I had a dog as ugly as you are stupid, I would shave it's a$$ and make it walk backwards...

And as it was walking backwards, I tell it: "good job, I'll call you 'going for broke-999999999999'.

 

[ackattacker]

Unfrackinbelievable.

All the idiots keep saying "spin the treadmill at the same speed of the wheels".

Not possible. Increasing the speed of the treadmill also increases the speed of the wheels by the same amount... infinite feedback loop until you reach ludicrous speed and go plaid and then all bets are off.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Hehe...it's nice to be right!

 

[chimichanga]

I guess that would be me then. The demonstration portrayed on the show did not meet the elements of the test in a very necessary way. Namely, the conveyor belt (tarp) was not moving as fast as the plane's wheels were moving. As evidence, you can see the traffic cones marking the takeoff distance. If the tarp was being pulled the same speed as the wheels, the plane would not have passed a single cone. Instead, it passed the last one at lift off.

The error in the test design was moving the tarp at takeoff speed and not the plane's wheel speed which was faster.

I have not yet realized an error in my original thinking and do, in fact, insist that a plane tested under the right conditions will not take off.

Andy Neill is so stupid he couldn't pour piss out of a boot if the directions were written on the heel.

 

[STL717]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbRcg3ji_Pc

See the video

 

[medfly]

very scientific

Yeah....I can't believe the mythbusters thought they put it to rest.

 

[ASA_Aviator]

Unfrackinbelievable.

All the idiots keep saying "spin the treadmill at the same speed of the wheels".

Not possible. Increasing the speed of the treadmill also increases the speed of the wheels by the same amount... infinite feedback loop until you reach ludicrous speed and go plaid and then all bets are off.

Your point is so very painfully obvious, but some people just don't get it.

 

[Max Q]

It doesn't have to be "very scientific". It's basic physics, Newton's 3rd law. The RC plane on the treadmill was more conclusive than the full-scale test.

If anything, they should've dragged the "conveyor belt" faster since the nay sayers actually believe the speed of the belt matters. They just gave them more ammo.

-Brett