wrong. the air flowing around the airfoil shaped wings generate lift. the motors merely provide the speed to increase the airflow around the wings, which in turn lift the plane. the plane on the conveyor belt would not take off. surf
Think about what you're saying ,if the wheels are spinning on a surface that is spinning the opposite direction the wheels are at the same speed as the wheels the plane cannot move into the wind.
The more important question to ask is whether any towel-heads are on board. If so, the whole scenario is a mute point. The plane would never take off.
The wheels of a plane don't do anything. They can go 400mph or 0 mph. Their function is not the same as that of a car. Think about how a HArrier Jet achieves lift-off. It needs no run-way...just goes straight up. One question to the poster - is there a freakin answer to this? Or is this one of those god damn riddles that ends with half the people on this thread debating physics for 50 yrs? Forget it. I think I already have the answer to that.
Before I leave to catch my plane I should mention that my comments are directed at jets, not harriers, that would be a trick question. Any propeller driven plane with the prop in front of the wings thereby forcing air over the wings can attain lift off while stationary ,which is why they have tie downs to keep them on the ground during strong winds. Edit: without the wheels moving over stationary ground the wings can't encounter moving air. The entire premise is that the wheels aren't accomplishing anything, they are neutralized by the conveyor belt so no matter how much thrust is attained the plane goes nowhere. No moving air over the wing to provide lift.
I find it interesting that people believe that the plane will not move on this giant treadmill. If I stick a car in a giant wind tunnel and turn the wind up to 100mph does anyone believe that the car will still not move forward? Two different mediums, two different propulsions. The wind isn't gonna stop the car from moving (though it will provide significant resistance against) and the treadmill isn't gonna stop the plane from moving (though it will provide almost insignificant resistance against). JB
Correct, the wheels don't drive the plane. But in your scenario the conveyor belt is moving in the opposite direction at the same speed. The equivalent of climbing up a down escalator. If I'm climbing at the same speed the escalator is moving downward I'm going nowhere, I'm stationary. If the plane is stationary there would be no relative wind, where's the lift coming from?