[Gimpdiggity]

I also say no.

By the plane moving forward and the conveyor moving backward at the same rate of speed, the plane will stay in the same place. Just like a person walking on a treadmill.

If the plane isn't moving forward, then there is no wind travelling past the wings. Just like when you run on a treadmill you don't feel any wind.

If there is no wind passing the wings, the wings can't do their job and create the lift necessary for the plane to take off.



I've seen this debate on other boards...and I'm quite frankly baffled by the people who believe that it will take off. Without any kind of lift being created by wind passing by the wings, a plane can't take off.

It seems that the people that claim that it would take off are all going on the assumption that even with the conveyor moving in the opposite direction, the thrust of the plane would eventually overtake that and the plane would in fact move forward. I, personally, feel that the question is worded so that the plane moving forward is an absolute impossibility. The question states that as the plane's speed increases, so does that of the conveyor belt. If the plan is travelling at 200mph, then the belt would be moving at a speed that is high enough to compensate for the plane's speed and thus the speed of the plane (relative to someone standing and watching) would be 0 mph.



What I do wonder about this whole thing though, if it is possible for the plane to take off from the conveyor belt moving in the opposite direction, wouldn't our crazy military have done some experimentation on it to see if they could make smaller aircraft carriers and smaller airfields that would still allow the same planes to take off...just in alot less space? It would seem like if an airplane could take off from a conveyor system like this, they'd be trying to use it to their advantage.