# Physics Question: Will the plane take off? (27 page debate on elisetalk)
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [February 15, 2006, 7:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189 "2006-02-15T07:40:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@STEALTTH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/STEALTTH)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/81 "2006-02-15T09:44:39Z")
A plane would still move without wheels though. (woulnd’t be very safe or comfortable) 🙂
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/82 "2006-02-15T09:46:54Z")
> [@Tunerfreak](#):
>
> the wheels are part of the plane, its not floating in the air so the wheels move with the plane. yes they dont drive the plane the thrust does that but while gravity holds the plane down the wheels are connected to the plane which is touching the ground. how does a plane move down a normal runway if the wheels are not moving with the plane???
no offense, but i can’t explain this any better. i cannot see how there is even a question in anyones mind about this…
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/83 "2006-02-15T09:48:40Z")
> [@STEALTTH](#):
>
> A plane would still move without wheels though. (woulnd’t be very safe or comfortable) 🙂
yea, but a plane without wheels on a conveyorbelt that acted in opposition to thrust would have a harder time taking off. This is because now, due to friction, the treadmill is capable of applying an opposing force, thus decreasing net force, thus decreasing acceleration.
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### Author:  [@Tunerfreak](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Tunerfreak)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/84 "2006-02-15T09:49:18Z")
> [@STEALTTH](#):
>
> A plane would still move without wheels though. (woulnd’t be very safe or comfortable) 🙂
lol yea it would take off without wheels casue the belt has nothing to match its speed to thrust is pushing the plane forward.
lol i never thought i would be talking about physics outside of school i like this thread lol
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### Author:  [@STEALTTH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/STEALTTH)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/85 "2006-02-15T09:49:53Z")
> [@newman](#):
>
> yea, but a plane without wheels on a conveyorbelt that acted in opposition to thrust would have a harder time taking off. This is because now, due to friction, the treadmill is capable of applying an opposing force, thus decreasing net force, thus decreasing acceleration.
right and i agree, but he was talking about on a regular runway.
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### Author:  [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/86 "2006-02-15T09:50:00Z")
it will lift off, but I’d wanna check those wheel bearings afterwards. 😛
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/87 "2006-02-15T09:52:59Z")
is there an actual answer to this?
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### Author:  [@JaysGreenLX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JaysGreenLX)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/88 "2006-02-15T09:54:33Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#):
>
> is there an actual answer to this?
Mythbusters
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### Author:  [@Tunerfreak](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Tunerfreak)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/89 "2006-02-15T09:56:06Z")
> [@JaysGreenLX](#):
>
> Mythbusters
lol we should email them about it and see if they could do it.
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### Author:  [@walter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/walter)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/90 "2006-02-15T09:59:52Z")
There was so much stupidity on the first page of this thread, I don’t even want to post the answer, people wouldn’t listen.
But yes, this was done on OT several months ago, and the stupidity of the majority of the population and the inability to think rationally amazes me. You do not need a physics degree to understand why what would happen would happen.
People that talk about things that aren’t possible, yet are seriously debating a magic treadmill should be shot in the head and take a class in hypothetical thinking.
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/91 "2006-02-15T10:00:19Z")
fuck yeah. someone write it up and send it in, im sure they will consider it. although it isnt a myth it would make for a sick experiment
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/92 "2006-02-15T10:01:17Z")
so, the only way to keep it from taking off is for the wheels to reach a speed where the friction can provide enough force to counteract the thrust.
i had bushings like that in my turbo 🙂
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/93 "2006-02-15T10:04:08Z")
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### Author:  [@Pass\_McGass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pass_McGass)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/94 "2006-02-15T10:06:18Z")
loellis island
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### Author:  [@Denton](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Denton)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/95 "2006-02-15T10:06:53Z")
This thread says alot about the users posting in it.
FWIW in this scenario the plane will actually liftoff sooner than the same plane on a fixed runway. Why? The treadmill will create a barrier layer of air moving roughly the same speed as the treadmill. This will increase the “wing in ground effect” factor. This effect would be greater than the negligible drag from the gear wheels rotating at double what they would at a relative airspeed.
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### Author:  [@Bucker](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bucker)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/96 "2006-02-15T10:09:49Z")
Uhhhh, are you people serious when you say no?
_Edit_ I really hope the “No” people were kidding.
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/97 "2006-02-15T10:10:20Z")
oooh, yeah, like the steady breeze that you feel standing next to a moving train…
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### Author:  [@Tunerfreak](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Tunerfreak)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/98 "2006-02-15T10:17:14Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#):
>
> fuck yeah. someone write it up and send it in, im sure they will consider it. although it isnt a myth it would make for a sick experiment
looks like a bunch of poeple already beat us to it though
[http://community.discovery.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/9701967776/m/1051991028](http://community.discovery.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/9701967776/m/1051991028)
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### Author:  [@Minglor](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Minglor)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/99 "2006-02-15T10:23:16Z")
all i have to say
no forward motion = no lift
planes need lift to fly
thats why they have wings.
the engine can only pull the plane so fast and its not going to magically leap upward with no wind beneath its wings.
thats why helicopters have those things on top.
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### Author:  [@AlbinoMonkeyRat](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AlbinoMonkeyRat)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2006, 10:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/physics-question-will-the-plane-take-off-27-page-debate-on-elisetalk/8189/100 "2006-02-15T10:23:39Z")
It will definitely take off. It will just take a bit longer because of the distance canceled by the conveyor belt. So instead of taking off when the wheels are spinning at 160mph (which is totally irrelevant to the operation of the plane), they’ll probably be going closer to 320mph, but the plane will still be going 160mph at take-off.
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