Tonight on Mythbusters Plane on a treadmill

PittSpeed Automotive PittSpeed Off Topic
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Here is the question that has divided the internet for years. There are countless 500+ post threads across the interweb debating this question.

“On a day with absolutely calm wind, a plane is standing on a runway that can move (some sort of band conveyor). The plane moves in one direction, while the conveyor moves in the opposite direction. The conveyor has a control system that tracks the plane speed and tunes the speed of the conveyor to be exactly the same (but in the opposite direction). Can the airplane ever take off?”

Tonight the mythbusters will test this myth and shed some light onto this mystery.

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Nope.

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It will. because chuck norris created the jet engine.

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That’s not why Shaggy.

chuck norris is running on the treadmill.

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wtf…if the windspeed past the wing forms the correct amount of positive pressure underneath it will take off. If not, then it won’t

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Exactly, and if the plane isn’t actually displacing air because it’s not really moving, it wont create lift.

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Oh i was under the impression they are using a JET engine type plane.

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it doesnt matter if its jet, prop, or 1000 chickens flapping their wings… the plane will not take off if it isnt moving.

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where they gonna find a treadmill powerful enough.

I bet the treadmill breaks and the mythbusters get decapitated

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Im pretty sure birds and fly straight up without moving…Much like a helicopter

x2 … maybe not the decapitated part tho

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One can only hope.

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your all porch monkeys

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It will always take off. The wheels which the conveyor acts on are only bearings. Therefore there is no force that acts in the opposite direction of the thrust. It will take off at the same speed that it would if it were a regular run way. Wheel speed is independent of thrust. The wheels will always move faster than the conveyor.

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where is the “who cares” option :dunno:

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when is mythbusters on?

edit its on now

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i see you’re taking it back.

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it will take off. if the planes wheels propelled it it would not take off…but they don’t. it’s a jet propelled by thrust

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yes, your grandmother was a porch monkey too.

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:owned:

I win so shut the fuck up. the plane can and will take off :slight_smile:

ON A SCALE MODEL :rolleyes:
proved nothing