Mythbusters/airplane on a treadmill.

[ZacSquatch]

I'm betting small cessna or similar 2 seat prop plane...

Maybe they'll use a Piper Cub with a stall kit and tundra tires.. lil suckers can get up at a lil over 40 mph and within 300 feet of runway

 

[Stumpalump]

Aircraft carriers point into the wind. Its all about the wind and nothing to do with wheels or ground speed. But....a treadmill that large will throw all kinds of it's own wind to screw things up. It will suck the aircraft down to the moving platform and bust into flames. The fireman and rescue will only sit and watch. They will listen to the screams of the burning people because a neibor came out and told them you had guns on the plane. Firemen run from guns so the exploding bullets don't hit them. So not only will it not fly the participants will die a slow burning death. Oh the huge manitee!!

 

[goodburbon]

Please just nominate me again!!

done

 

[MudDawg]

The first rule of aviation is "thou shall maintaineth thine airspeed lest the ground come up and smite thee"....if the plane attains sufficient airspeed, it will fly....otherwise its not going to.

 

[98XJSport]

If they don't get it to fly, knowing mythbusters, they will go this route

 

[ZacSquatch]

Being as Jamie is a pyro... yep

 

[RedHeep]

Oh, and BTW Ray. You know that anyone that flies in an airplane where the wings move faster than the airplane have a limited lifespan?

--ron

What happens if you fly in an airplane that switches between moving wings and stationary ones?

 

[JeepFreak21]

If planes could fly off treadmills then why doesn't the navy have them installed on the carriers? Would make for a much smaller ship!

:laugh2:
Billy

 

[JeepFreak21]

Aircraft carriers point into the wind. Its all about the wind and nothing to do with wheels or ground speed. But....a treadmill that large will throw all kinds of it's own wind to screw things up. It will suck the aircraft down to the moving platform and bust into flames. The fireman and rescue will only sit and watch. They will listen to the screams of the burning people because a neibor came out and told them you had guns on the plane. Firemen run from guns so the exploding bullets don't hit them. So not only will it not fly the participants will die a slow burning death. Oh the huge manitee!!

The Mythbusters already did exploding bullets in a fire

Firemen aren't scared of them anymore.
Billy

 

[JNickel101]

an airplane gets lift from the air flow around the wing and if this said airplane is on a treadmill then were is the air flow comming from? The prop is there to popel the plane forward in efect causing air flow around the wings.If the plane stays still and the ground bellow the plane moves there is still no air flow. ......what is so hard to get?

Thank you! If the plane isnt moving forward thru the air, how is air moving around the wings to create lift???

 

[98XJSport]

The point of arguing seems to be if it's moving or not...

If it has enough thrust or forward movement to overcome any friction caused by the wheels/treadmill interaction it will move forward. If it has enough air moving around the wings to cause a negative pressure area and "suck" the wings up, it will be flying.

Ever hand launch an RC? Or even a glider? Paper airplane? The wheels aren't moving, there is no contact with the ground. But if you get it moving fast enough, get the wings generating enough lift, it flies.

 

[goodburbon]

Thank you! If the plane isnt moving forward thru the air, how is air moving around the wings to create lift???

The only way it won't move forward through the air is if

A. The plane is thethered
B. Not enough throttle
C. Parking brake set

 

[JeepFreak21]

Thank you! If the plane isnt moving forward thru the air, how is air moving around the wings to create lift???

Why would the plane not be moving forward?
Billy

 

[Mtb Jak]

when you run on a treadmill do you feel air on your face??

no

no air flow no lift.

 

[98XJSport]

when you run on a treadmill do you feel air on your face??

no

no air flow no lift.

When you run faster than the treadmill (which would make it a moving sidewalk) do you?

Yes. just not as much, or as fast.

Your also forgetting that an airplane doesn't get it's forward momentum from "pushing" against the ground. Therefore the treadmill is only going to give slight friction losses to the planes forward movement.

Look at it this way. The treadmill is running in one direction at 50mph. The plane is running in the opposite direction at 50 mph. It's standing still. It will not fly.

HOWEVER if the craft exceeds the speed of said treadmill, it will start moving. If it gets moving fast enough, it will fly.

Can they build a treadmill fast enough to match the plane's pace? Will things be stable at those speeds?

Those are the questions I have...

 

[JeepFreak21]

when you run on a treadmill do you feel air on your face??

no

no air flow no lift.

If you were standing on a skateboard on a treadmill, holding on to the grab rails... would you be able to pull yourself forward?
Billy

 

[JNickel101]

Why would the plane not be moving forward?
Billy

um, because the treadmill is spinning?

 

[jeepboy381]

It will fly. The engine has more than enough power to overcome the friction between the wheels and ground as well as wheel bearings. They can't run a treadmill or anything fast enough to overcome the thrust of the engine and if they could it would fry the wheel bearings. I don't understand why people think it wouldn't fly?

 

[JeepFreak21]

All you guys that think the plane won't move... do you think this boat could travel against the current of a river?

Billy

 

[JNickel101]

when you run faster on the treadmil, you run into the bar....or you increase the speed of the tread.

the more we go over this, the dumber it sounds....

if the point is making the plane go faster than the treadmill can spin, then it seems pretty pointless to me. where's the myth?

if the point is to see if the plane will levitate while staying "stationary" on a spinning treadmill, then no shit its not gonna take off - there's no air moving over/under the wings.