can a plane takeoff on a conveyor belt? (mythbusters)

LilRascle

LilRascle

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May 7, 2007
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You know, technology has advanced *10. It's amazing. The things planes can do today that they couldn't do 10 years ago. Pilot guys help me out.......

The FA/22 Raptor can nearly make 90 degree turns. I have seen a 747 take off at greater than 75 degree up angle (almost straight up) and not fall to the ground.

Doesn't suprise me that they can make a plane take off on a conveyor belt. My only question: Did the passengers get any chips? Movie? Anything? Otherwise, it is still in the X stage. JMTC
 
cptyarderho

cptyarderho

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Apr 23, 2004
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RBBailey said:
Uh... as a pilot... never mind...

The answer is, yes, as long as the wheel bearings don't give out at the super speed at which they will be turning when the aircraft gets enough airspeed to start flying -- and if you had a long enough conveyor belt. Your take off distance would, after all, be the same as if you were not on the belt. The belt would only serve to keep you from accelerating to take off speed sooner.

Take off distance would not change.
Take off air speed would not change.
Take off time would change.
Click to expand...

Thanks for making that clear, I thought everyone was joking. Some people overthink a question.
 
Matt Taylor

Matt Taylor

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Apr 20, 2004
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Plane on a conveyor belt wasn't on the episode last night. The Mythbusters forum are livid about it. So much so that one of the producers posted this:

"Originally Posted by Dan Tapster, Mythbusters Producer
Dear all,

As wbarnhill called out, I thought I should step in to what is rapidly becoming a hornet's nest. I will try to calm things down but I don't hold out much hope!

First up, for those concerned that this story has been cancelled, don't worry, planes on a conveyer belt has been filmed, is spectacular, and will be part of what us Mythbusters refer to as 'episode 97'. Currently that is due to air on January 30th.

Secondly, for those very aggrieved fans feeling "duped" into watching tonight's show, I can only apologise. I'm not sure why the listings / internet advertised that tonight's show contained POCB. I will endeavour to find out an answer but for those conspiracy theorists amongst you, I can assure you that it will have just been an honest mistake. At one point
several months ago, POCB was going to be part of Airplane Hour. Somewhere, someone has mistakenly posted the wrong listing. It will have been a genuine mistake but nonetheless it was a mistake which is unacceptable. As said I will try to find out what went wrong and hope that you will see fit to forgive the team at Discovery.

Thanks in advance,

Dan"
 
B

barefoot

Guest
jan 30th? son of a goat f-ker....thats too long to wait! i was all pumped up and left deflated. good to know its coming though.
 
p m

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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LilRascle said:
You know, technology has advanced *10. It's amazing. The things planes can do today that they couldn't do 10 years ago. Pilot guys help me out.......

The FA/22 Raptor can nearly make 90 degree turns. I have seen a 747 take off at greater than 75 degree up angle (almost straight up) and not fall to the ground.
Click to expand...
you know, I've seen a C-17 make a 60-degree bank, and I have to talk myself out of thinking it was indeed 60 degrees (they can do it, physically).
But a 747 climbing at greater than 75 degree angle - buddy, you have to back off that number a bit. Like 30 degrees back.

Technology can advance all it wants, but for a fixed wing aircraft without vertical thruster - no airspeed, no lift, period.
 
R

RBBailey

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Jul 26, 2004
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www.flickr.com
There are only two things that make an airplane fly...

Money, and Lift. They have the money, all they have to do is produce the lift -- treadmill or not. It's no more complicated than asking whether a plane can take off up a hill.
 
kzack

kzack

Well-known member
Mar 2, 2006
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Homer City, Pennsylvania
My question is: If the plane does become airborne, at what speed would it be traveling in relation to the ground? If it is 165mph, does that happen instantaneously? Even as a small child watching knight rider I always wondered when Michael Knight was driving KITT into the back of the trailer while it was moving, at what speed was KITT moving in relation to the ground when the back wheels rolled onto the ramp of the trailer? Suppose the truck is traveling 40mph and KITT is traveling 41mph, once the car was on the ramp, wouldn't KITT be traveling 81mph?
 
rovercanus

rovercanus

Well-known member
Apr 24, 2004
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That's great, even the idiot pilot they had couldn't figure out that ground speed doesn't matter, air speed does.
I'm sure this isn't settled, stupidity tends to cling like dog shit to a sneaker.
 
az_max

az_max

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Apr 22, 2005
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kzack said:
My question is: If the plane does become airborne, at what speed would it be traveling in relation to the ground? If it is 165mph, does that happen instantaneously? Even as a small child watching knight rider I always wondered when Michael Knight was driving KITT into the back of the trailer while it was moving, at what speed was KITT moving in relation to the ground when the back wheels rolled onto the ramp of the trailer? Suppose the truck is traveling 40mph and KITT is traveling 41mph, once the car was on the ramp, wouldn't KITT be traveling 81mph?
Click to expand...


The plane is going 20kts in relationship to the real ground. The plane and tires are doing 40 kts in relation to the conveyor belt. What matters is the air traveling over the wing is going 20 kts. Enough to lift off.

They confirmed the KITT stunt in another episode. The car kept going the same speed it was before the ramp. the tires adjusted to the speed of the car vs the ramp once the touched.
 
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