Yes 0 airspeed it will not take off because it is only moving on a moving fluid serface. conveyor= moving water=0 airspeed that is required to fly

 

I blame this all on the fact that the mythbusters used a tundra to pull the material that the plane was on.

 

i've seen the preview but havent seen the episode yet.

 

OK, I see the problem here.

Our discussions are about two different things. One is about a plane traveling against a conveyor and overpowering it and taking off. Yes it will take off, just like the MB episode, though their conclusion was highly unscientific.

What I'm saying is in direct correlation to the OP's original statement, which is completely different than that which some you are discussing.

If the conveyor is travelling at the same identical speed as the wheels are rolling with the jet at full throttle, part throttle,or half throttle, the plane won't take off, and the conveyor doesn't have to be much longer than the wheelbase of the plane, because it won't roll off it under thrust. It won't take off because the plane isn't gaining any lift.

Clear as mud.

 

What's a pontoon?

 

I thought that sounded better than floats.
everyone knows what a pontoon boat is!
you know that place in the middle of the lake that has all the beer

 

Oh yeah.

 

how'd ya git my pikture

 

I think you hit the nail on the head. People are confusing the plane moving with power to the wheels which there is none. The plane HAS to move before it can generate lift via airflow. If the conveyor keeps it from moving it doesn't matter if it's on wheels, pontoons, skis or dragging it's belly on the ground, it's not going to take off. Now if it's levitating above the conveyor to begin with then that's different. But that's not how the original question was worded. It asks if the conveyor matches the speed of the plane will it take off. Well, no. Matching speeds means 0 forward speed = no take off. Busted.

 

I knew I wasn't stupid.

 

I haven't seen the mythbusters but i know alot of their shows are flawed but they do entertain

 

Shiat. I always pictured a jet sitting on a conveyor belt about the length of the jet itself, in my mind. Now if the conveyor is a mile long, yes, it will take off. Now why didn't they add that little tidbit of info into the equation when they asked the mother frickin' question!?!? If you're going to ask a half assed question, you'll get a half assed answer. Which is 50/50. Some people say yes, some people say no. Then they argue about it. Whoever asked this question is getting a kick out of all of this I'm sure.

 

planes dont stand...

 

The speed of the conveyor belt is NOT being transfered into the plane's fuselage but rather into the plane's wheels which are connected to the aircraft via a free floating bearing system. The plane will advance along the length of the conveyor belt, developing airspeed as it travels, thus creating lift. There is NO canceling of forward momentum.

And for what its worth, the wheels are NOT turning backwards. The direction of movement by the conveyor belt mimics that of the ground as if the plane was traveling along a fixed runway.

Stealth,
The means of creating propulsion for both a turbo prop and a jet engine are vastly different but the results are the the same. They both create thrust which propels the aircraft forward (unless reverse thrusters are applied). So it really doesn't matter what type of engine is on the plane, both would work equally well in this scenario.

The reason why aircraft carriers opted to use a steam catapult rather than a conveyor belt system is simple. In order to launch an aircraft using a conveyor belt, the belt's length would need to be equal to that of a fixed runway. Contrast this with the steam catapult that can generate extreme airspeed in a fraction of the distance.

 

You're missing the point about the OP's original conveyor idea, how the jet moves at the same speed as the conveyor, therefore cancelling out all forward momentum. If the plane is moving forward on a conveyor that is moving against the jet at the same speed, the plane will act as if it is not moving forward at all, therefore it will not lift off. The conveyor does not have to be but a bit longer than the actual wheelbase of the plane, because the plane won't move anywhere.