# Tonight on Mythbusters Plane on a treadmill **URL:** \ **Category:** PittSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [January 30, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142 "2008-01-30T15:46:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Darkstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@Darkstar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Darkstar)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/41 "2008-01-30T20:00:29Z")
> [@Badnewsmini= SCUMBAG](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/badnewsmini-scumbag/34591/87): > > So it sat there and the treadmill moved under it? Or did the plane actually move forward? I need to watch this, I’m confused on the setup. you voted for the plane to NOT take off? Dude, you’re an engineer! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Shaggy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/shaggy/32/5945_2.png) [@Shaggy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shaggy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/42 "2008-01-30T20:02:26Z")
common sense \>\* ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Sleeper](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/imported_sleeper/32/5939_2.png) [@imported\_Sleeper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Sleeper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/43 "2008-01-30T20:03:37Z")
> [@Shaggy"](#): > > common sense \>\* something you just found, it has been lost to you for how long? ---
**Author:** ![Shaggy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/shaggy/32/5945_2.png) [@Shaggy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shaggy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/44 "2008-01-30T20:04:29Z")
> [@My Dad almost rolls on dubs](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/my-dad-almost-rolls-on-dubs/34649/2): > > something you just found, it has been lost to you for how long? homewrecking is common sense, i just picked it up. ---
**Author:** ![imported\_Sleeper](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/imported_sleeper/32/5939_2.png) [@imported\_Sleeper](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/imported_Sleeper)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/45 "2008-01-30T20:08:42Z")
> [@WTB: 4x114 rims!!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-4x114-rims/34608/9): > > homewrecking is common sense, i just picked it up. thats a skill, not common sense:rofl: ---
**Author:** ![SoLow](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/solow/32/6001_2.png) [@SoLow](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SoLow)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/46 "2008-01-30T20:40:10Z")
[![http://smiliesftw.com/x/gives.gif](http://smiliesftw.com/x/gives.gif)](http://smiliesftw.com) ---
**Author:** ![dgramc](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dgramc/32/5934_2.png) [@dgramc](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dgramc)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/47 "2008-01-31T01:43:23Z")
> [@Badnewsmini= SCUMBAG](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/badnewsmini-scumbag/34591/87): > > So it sat there and the treadmill moved under it? Or did the plane actually move forward? I need to watch this, I’m confused on the setup. they had a truck pull a tarp from underneath it, but the plane still moved forward ---
**Author:** ![blackfive-o](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@blackfive-o](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/blackfive-o)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/48 "2008-01-31T05:48:32Z")
If you are driving 50 mph and there is a fly in your car, if the fly flying 50 mph? What happens if you hit a brick wall, does the fly go through the windshield? :nuts: ---
**Author:** ![PoisonousBeef](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/poisonousbeef/32/6007_2.png) [@PoisonousBeef](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PoisonousBeef)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 7:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/49 "2008-01-31T07:14:34Z")
The treadmill moves under the plane but it still moves forward and takes off because the jet/prop is pushing/pulling against the AIR, not the ground. As someone else stated, if the plane was propelled by its wheels then it wouldn’t be able to take off because it wouldn’t move. In that case the treadmill would prevent the plane’s thrust from being translated into forward motion, just like your car would behave on a treadmill or a dyno. With air propulsion (jet/prop) it wouldn’t matter how fast or slow the treadmill was moving, it would just make the wheels move faster/slower, but should have no impact on the thrust and consequent forward motion of the plane. ---
**Author:** ![beat90tsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/43a26b/32.png) [@beat90tsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/beat90tsi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 7:33am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/50 "2008-01-31T07:33:27Z")
> [@cv shafts, wheel bearings.....WTF!!!!](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/cv-shafts-wheel-bearings-wtf/34556/8): > > The treadmill moves under the plane but it still moves forward and takes off because the jet/prop is pushing/pulling against the AIR, not the ground. > > As someone else stated, if the plane was propelled by its wheels then it wouldn’t be able to take off because it wouldn’t move. In that case the treadmill would prevent the plane’s thrust from being translated into forward motion, just like your car would behave on a treadmill or a dyno. > > With air propulsion (jet/prop) it wouldn’t matter how fast or slow the treadmill was moving, it would just make the wheels move faster/slower, but should have no impact on the thrust and consequent forward motion of the plane. Good explanation, very concise. ---
**Author:** ![S10Blazed\_Si](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/s10blazed_si/32/5983_2.png) [@S10Blazed\_Si](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/S10Blazed_Si)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2008, 7:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/51 "2008-01-31T07:35:28Z")
I always got amusement from the arguements over this I’ve seen on other forums. It amazes me how ‘smart’ people can’t see that it will take off. Planes can take off from water, or from on top of ball bearings, or even a MOVING aircraft carrier in the water. It will take off. Unless they do this experiment in a vaccuum. ---
**Author:** ![TavisB](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tavisb/32/3339_2.png) [@TavisB](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TavisB)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 7:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/52 "2008-02-03T07:00:04Z")
> [@been out of the loop](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/been-out-of-the-loop/34632/7): > > 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. whew…i though maybe you were all idiots. I cant believe this “myth” was even on the show. Apperently no one paid any attention in science class ☹ ---
**Author:** ![BlackZ28](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/blackz28/32/5932_2.png) [@BlackZ28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BlackZ28)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2008, 1:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/53 "2008-02-03T13:47:07Z")
need better explanation of setup…maybe a drawing ( i can’t picture what the experiment was) just found it on youtube… the wheel speed of the plane has nothing to do with the actual speed of the plane (the wheels spun twice as fast as a normal takeoff, but the plane moved at the same speed since the plane is propelled by the prop, not the wheels. cliffs: plane moves because it pushes air, not by moving the wheels ---
**Author:** ![Rally\_WRX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/94ad74/32.png) [@Rally\_WRX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Rally_WRX)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/54 "2008-02-05T16:03:00Z")
I wonder if a plane was to torque brake like this on a ‘treadmill’, would the launch distance decrease noticeably? People that are having trouble understanding why the plane can take off, you are probably incorrectly assuming that the wheels can affect the actual plane itself. They can’t. They are free rolling and the only resistance they offer to taking off is whatever inherent rolling friction exists in the moving assembly. Which is negligible compared to the thrust force generated by one or more jet engines. ---
**Author:** ![Shaggy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/shaggy/32/5945_2.png) [@Shaggy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shaggy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/55 "2008-02-05T16:08:26Z")
no way, the wheels propel an aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![77rednecktruck](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/77rednecktruck/32/5966_2.png) [@77rednecktruck](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/77rednecktruck)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/56 "2008-02-05T17:31:14Z")
> [@FS: PR3 ECU](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/fs-pr3-ecu/34754/2): > > no way, the wheels propel an aircraft. x2 all the jet engines do is spin the tires real fast. ---
**Author:** ![xlogic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/59ef9b/32.png) [@xlogic](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/xlogic)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 12:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/57 "2008-02-06T00:17:31Z")
> [@Finally some pics of the summer ride.. SBC inside](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/finally-some-pics-of-the-summer-ride-sbc-inside/34753/5): > > x2 > > all the jet engines do is spin the tires real fast. lmfao…i love the sarcasm…and the stupidity from a few in here on a second note…if it was an F35…it wouldn’t matter ---
**Author:** ![Dominator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a4c791/32.png) [@Dominator](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Dominator)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 6:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/58 "2008-02-07T06:59:22Z")
Has no one here seen a plane do a burn out? ---
**Author:** ![Shaggy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/shaggy/32/5945_2.png) [@Shaggy](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Shaggy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142/59 "2008-02-07T19:24:50Z")
> [@WTB:Halfshaft](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wtb-halfshaft/34748/6): > > Has no one here seen a plane do a burn out? I have, it was back in WW II when i was making tin cans for the war movement. [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/tonight-on-mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/195142.md?page=2)