The "Plane on a Treadmill" Question

[Happy Monkey]

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.