Originally posted by DaddyBare
The conveyor would never work...but if you place one bigass fan in front of the plane!

You're right; a conveyor wouldn't stop it. Unfortunately, a big fan would generate the needed airflow over, and under, the wings allowing for a psuedo VTOL situation. That's why I chose to mention a vacuum chamber earlier.

Originally posted by mungodave
You mean to say the wheels will be travelling at the speed of the conveyor PLUS the ground speed of the aircraft right?

Yeap, exactly.

The wheels on the plane DO NOT PROVIDE THRUST. If it was a car, then the car would sit in place and not move, because the wheels provide the thrust for the car. The wheels turn, and push against the ground, causing forward motion. The engines of a plane either pull or push against the AIR to provide motion. The wheels are there to provide a medium for the plane to move across the ground, that's all.

no its wont create any lift for the wings to hold the plane up.

I can't believe that people are still not getting this! Even funnier was a post a couple of days ago that called those who DO get it dumb

It has already been explained excellently several times over so my effort is doomed to failure but I can't help myself.

1 The wheels are rolling freely

2 the belt can move as fast as it likes, it makes no difference to the plane what the wheels are doing.

3 the propeller on the front of the plane pulls it forwards, the belt is going the other way so the wheels turn faster but the plane keeps accelerating until it takes off. Thats all there is to it.


If the friction of the wheel bearings or the weight of the plane was enough to counter the thrust of the engine and keep the plane stationary then the the egine is shagged and the plane not airworthy anyway, it would not even take off from a normal runway.