The "Plane on a Treadmill" Question - Page 21

regular.joe · 01-30-2008, 11:26 PM

Huh, didn't see the episode..So, the plane took off from the treadmill?

I'd say I hate it when I"m wrong, but it happens so often that I've become used to it.

Clodfobble · 01-30-2008, 11:28 PM

Yes.

regular.joe · 01-30-2008, 11:29 PM

Thanks...Goes back to running on treadmill, and roasting my noodle thinking about all of this.

Clodfobble · 01-30-2008, 11:31 PM

Maybe this will help: just imagine what would happen if, while running in place on your treadmill, you strapped a jet pack to your back and turned it on.

Aliantha · 01-30-2008, 11:43 PM

Well why don't airports have big rollers then instead of making massive runways?

xoxoxoBruce · 01-30-2008, 11:45 PM

Because the jets would push the plane off the rollers before it had enough airspeed to take off.

Happy Monkey · 01-31-2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Well why don't airports have big rollers then instead of making massive runways?

Because the treadmill effect is irrelevant to the takeoff. The plane still needs just as much runway, whether it's a treadmill or not. All the rollers would do is make the massive runway more expensive, and prevent planes from using their brakes on it when landing or taxiing.

The treadmill does not stop the plane from moving forward.

If you were standing in a position such that you could see the plane, but not the runway, you wouldn't be able to tell from the plane's movement whether there was a treadmill. It still moves forward the same distance, relative to the air, before lifting off.

Aliantha · 01-31-2008, 12:19 AM

Well I don't understand why that would happen if the bearings are loose enough or however you engineer those sorts of things. I guess that's why I'm not an engineer.

Aliantha · 01-31-2008, 01:44 AM

Hmmmm...I didn't think about landing.

Thanks for the explanation too HM. I understand now.

TheMercenary · 01-31-2008, 06:22 AM

Well they never told you that it was a Harrier. So the wheels never move and the treadmill never moves.

Clodfobble · 01-31-2008, 09:05 AM

Do you get how a water plane takes off, classic?

classicman · 01-31-2008, 09:33 AM

no I'm not a freakin pilot - I don't get the concept at all - I'm just too stupid I guess - kthxbye.

glatt · 01-31-2008, 09:57 AM

Back in the 80's, Letterman did a stunt in the hallway of NBC studios where he sat in a wheeled office chair and discharged a fire extinguisher. He was doing races down the hall with another guy. This problem reminded me a bit of that.

lookout123 · 01-31-2008, 10:05 AM

oh. so what you are saying is that the plane won't take off?

SteveDallas · 01-31-2008, 11:19 AM

Wait... are we assuming that the treadmill is in a horizontal position?

01-30-2008, 11:26 PM	#1
regular.joe Старый сержант Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NC, dreaming of large Russian women. Posts: 1,464	Huh, didn't see the episode..So, the plane took off from the treadmill? I'd say I hate it when I"m wrong, but it happens so often that I've become used to it. __________________ Birth, wealth, and position are valueless during wartime. Man is only judged by his character --Soldier's Testament. Death, like birth, is a secret of Nature. - Marcus Aurelius.

01-30-2008, 11:29 PM	#3
regular.joe Старый сержант Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NC, dreaming of large Russian women. Posts: 1,464	Thanks...Goes back to running on treadmill, and roasting my noodle thinking about all of this. __________________ Birth, wealth, and position are valueless during wartime. Man is only judged by his character --Soldier's Testament. Death, like birth, is a secret of Nature. - Marcus Aurelius.

01-30-2008, 11:43 PM	#5
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Well why don't airports have big rollers then instead of making massive runways? __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-30-2008, 11:45 PM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Because the jets would push the plane off the rollers before it had enough airspeed to take off. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

01-31-2008, 12:19 AM	#8
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Well I don't understand why that would happen if the bearings are loose enough or however you engineer those sorts of things. I guess that's why I'm not an engineer. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-30-2008, 11:28 PM	#2
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Yes.

01-30-2008, 11:31 PM	#4
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Maybe this will help: just imagine what would happen if, while running in place on your treadmill, you strapped a jet pack to your back and turned it on.

01-31-2008, 01:44 AM	#9
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Hmmmm...I didn't think about landing. Thanks for the explanation too HM. I understand now. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-31-2008, 06:22 AM	#10
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Well they never told you that it was a Harrier. So the wheels never move and the treadmill never moves. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-31-2008, 09:05 AM	#11
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Do you get how a water plane takes off, classic?

01-31-2008, 09:33 AM	#12
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	no I'm not a freakin pilot - I don't get the concept at all - I'm just too stupid I guess - kthxbye. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

01-31-2008, 09:57 AM	#13
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Back in the 80's, Letterman did a stunt in the hallway of NBC studios where he sat in a wheeled office chair and discharged a fire extinguisher. He was doing races down the hall with another guy. This problem reminded me a bit of that.

01-31-2008, 10:05 AM	#14
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	oh. so what you are saying is that the plane won't take off? __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

01-31-2008, 11:19 AM	#15
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Wait... are we assuming that the treadmill is in a horizontal position?

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