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ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! How can it move forward if the forward movement is matched with equal and opposite movement from the conveyor??



Because it is NOT attached to the conveyer. the wheels provide minimal rolling resistance. The conveyer CANNOT tether a plane by its wheels.

The conveyer can match speed of the plane, but it will have 0 effect on the plane.


It is attached figuratively speaking, by gravity until its take off speed (airspeed over the wing needed to produce lift) is reached. On a windless day, ground speed will have to match T/O speed (or more precisely TAS required for takeoff) for the plane to take off since the air is stationary. In this case, ground speed is zero.

Any forward momentum from the thrust, is negated by an equal and opposite momentum of the conveyor. We need momentum to move the plane through linear space so that air can move over the wing. It aint going anywhere. And if it was calibrated exactly, you would hardly see the conveyor move.

I am going crazy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/zombie.gif" alt="" />