Will it fly(don't answer too fast)?

[Woodlouse2002]

The way I'm looking at it the forward speed of the aircraft is not relative to the conveyer belt at all. Apart from the extra strain on the wheels it will take off quite normally.

The question states that the conveyor will go backwards at the same speed as the plane goes forwards. I'm assuming it measures the speed of the aircraft thought the speed of the wheels.

[Souichiro]

I changed my mindagain

The way I'm thinking is...

Planes fly by lift, right?

To produce lift usually the plane is dragged or pulled in a forwards direction. But the Conveyor belt cancels that forward motion...Thus making it impossible to create lift and fly...

I see it as trying to walking up against an escalator which is going downwards. If you walk up at the same speed as the escalator is coming down it won't get you anywhere......


Me thinks it's bedtime now!

[Craig.]

Which is where you have to once again seperate the thought of car from plane. In the case of a car, its speed it limited by the direct drive of the wheels as that is where its momentum is created. The momentum in a plane is created by the engines, which are in no-way effected by the conveyer belt or the speed at which its traveling. While yes the wheels will eventually reach their terminal velocity the planes engines will have gotten it enough momentum to lift off before that. The wheels would infact be moving at twice the speed of the conveyer belt.

[Hagar]

The question states that the conveyor will go backwards at the same speed as the plane goes forwards. I'm assuming it measures the speed of the aircraft thought the speed of the wheels.

I think that's what's fooling everyone. Nobody said anything about the speed of the wheels. I assume the speed of aircraft is either the groundspeed relative to the actual ground or the airspeed. In both cases the speed of the belt is irrelevant.

[Craig.]

Which in short terms, would then mean.
If the aircraft is traveling forward at takeoff speed of 160mph then the conveyer belt is going the opposite direction of 160mph, the key fact is, the aircraft is traveling forward. Regardless.

[Fozzer]

.....the planes engines will have gotten it enough momentum to lift off....

You used the word "gotten" there, Craig...

...don't let it happen again... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Woodlouse2002]

My point is that even though the wheels bare no relation to the speed of the plane they will still turn when the plane moves. If the conveyor detects the planes movements by detecting the movement of the wheels (which would be the only contact between the two) then the conveyor would have to react to the speed of the wheels which if the conveyor is going backwards will be turning faster than the plane is travelling.

[Craig.]

Why not Mr Fozzer?:)

Woody, then the wheels would be traveling twice the speed of the aircraft, so as to maintain the momentum, which is where the wheels terminal velocity would come into play before they started to shred.

[Woodlouse2002]

Woody, then the wheels would be traveling twice the speed of the aircraft, so as to maintain the momentum, which is where the wheels terminal velocity would come into play before they started to shred.

But my current thoughts are that the conveyor measures the planes speed through the only contact it has with it. Through the wheels. Therefore if the plane is moving forwards at 160, and the conveyor is going backwards at 160 then the wheels are turning at 320 which the conveyor then takes to be the planes speed so it accelerates to 320 where it would register the planes speed at 480 and so on and so fourth. See my (irrelevent) point yet?

[Craig.]

Well yes, but by that point the plane has enough speed to remove itself from terrafirma and no longer is this an issue

[Fozzer]

Why not Mr Fozzer?:)
.....

It's a word only used by folks residing on the
other side of the pond...

Mr. Oxford didn't put it in our English dictionary... ...!

I wheely like reading this thread... ...!

Paul... ...!

[Craig.]

My heads really hurting now. And remember I did learn to talk and the basics of grammer on the other side of the pond  ;) So although I have lived here, little bits still tend to stick every now and again. Especially when it gives you a chance to correct me.

[Fozzer]

My heads really hurting now. And remember I did learn to talk and the basics of grammer on the other side of the pond  ;) So although I have lived here, little bits still tend to stick every now and again. Especially when it gives you a chance to correct me.

...quite right too...
Now it's time for your bed.
Remember you've got to be up bright and early for school tomorrow morning...
To learn English-English......!

Tee-Hee.......!

Paul... ...!

[H]

I came in on this way too late -- not about to read everything. However, as variously said, flight is determined by the airflow around the wings. The only thing the ground (in this case, conveyor belt) does is stop the plane from falling any lower until it has enough lift to go higher. The main confusion here, though, is in relation to the forward propulsion to create that lift. The plane's propulsion is in direct relation to the air, not the ground, and it will start moving forward no matter how fast the conveyor belt is moving. That's why the prop driven version is called, in the U.S., an airplane -- not a groundplane. Most ground vehicles use wheels or tracks for propulsion, thus having a direct relation to the ground below for their propulsion. Those that are propelled by props, jets or sails -- providing they have enough air power available -- wouldn't be stopped in this cirumstance, either.

[Marlin]

Holy crap, 5 pages for a simple yes or no question? heheheheeh oh no.