Plane on a Treadmill

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brianhos

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Good, so we are all settled you are just a bunch of trolls trying to screw with me. But I still want to see the helicopter plane.
 

singsing

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No way it takes off. Lift is caused by air flow moving faster over the top of the wing than the bottom. The wheels will spin in accordance to the amount of thrust, but sitting on a treadmill will cause the plane to stay stationary causing no air flow over the wing. MYTH BUSTED. Anyone want to talk perpetual motion. I'm building a machine right now and on paper I think it will work.
 

cmoneyr

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No way it takes off. Lift is caused by air flow moving faster over the top of the wing than the bottom. The wheels will spin in accordance to the amount of thrust, but sitting on a treadmill will cause the plane to stay stationary causing no air flow over the wing. MYTH BUSTED. Anyone want to talk perpetual motion. I'm building a machine right now and on paper I think it will work.
OH HOLY HELL, it begins again, please read the last 12 pages please. Wheels mean NOTHING, NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING! What do wheels mean? NOTHING. It does not matter how fast the wheels are or are not spinning, that is immaterial to the scenario. If a plane was on an ice covered run way that made things completely frictionless the wheels would not move at all, the plane would slide across the ice. Does that mean the plane can't take off? NO.
 

ISUCyclones

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Nov 10, 2007
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Lets see here: putting small windmills on your car to collect energy? Or better yet trap all that exaust with some kind of turbine? We could solve our energy problems in no time.
 

singsing

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Just thought of a good comparison. Put the drive wheel of a car on a roller. You'll just sit and spin with no forward motion.
 

cybsball20

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I don't know how the wheels on a plane work but I am pretty sure they don't drive the acceleration so they will be useless so the treadmill wont matter. The plane will still move forward due to the thrust by the jet engine or prop and the wheels will just be along for the ride, spinning or not.

*** I didn't read the whole thread so not sure if that's been said...
 

herbicide

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If planes fly by spinning wheels, then why do they need wings?

(note subtle sarcasm, from aviation bum)
 

tim_redd

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This reminds me of another great internet debate:

0.999999999~ repeating forever exactly equals 1

Go ahead you mathematically challenged fools and try to disprove this one.
 

CyPlainsDrifter

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so now the plane is moving wrt the air around it?

Isn't that what makes any plane move in the forward direction.... ?? Yes the plane is moving forward due to the jet engine (prop, whatever) pushing against the air around it. This has NOTHING to do with the wheels or the treadmill.
 

CyPlainsDrifter

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This reminds me of another great internet debate:

0.999999999~ repeating forever exactly equals 1

Go ahead you mathematically challenged fools and try to disprove this one.

Just as soon as you prove it true.

:biglaugh:
 
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