A little puzzle for you
It's been done before, but I quite like it so here goes...

Imagine an airplane on a treadmill. However fast the wheels of the plane go, the treadmill matches the speed, but backwards.

Will the plane take off?



Discuss.
( Hdjejjwsjdjjf LOOK, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 1:22, 8 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Nope.
It's all about the airspeed over the wings: the wings need to be moving fast enough for the airspeed to provide enough downward force to create lift (the thing about low pressure above the wing sucking the plane skywards is apparently not as important as we were all told in school).
Or something. I don't know, I'm not a physicist.
Now, if the question was "could a very strong wind blowing toward a stationary plane cause it to take off?" that'd be a different matter...
(Paolo Nutini's Bikini Better than Frederick Fleet's optometrist, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 1:56, Reply)

This is an oldie
The answer is yes and no, and depends on the definition of the question:

answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/731766.html
( chart cat has an itch, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 2:40, Reply)

Short answer
No. The plane taking off depends on the speed of the air over the wings, not to do with how fast the wheels are turning.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 7:45, Reply)

As well as the above answers
Unlike most ground based transport, aeroplanes don't get their motive force from mechanically turning the wheels. The force comes from an engine which moves air, whether by propellor or turbine, and the reactionary force moves the aircraft forwards. If the wheels were driven instead, then as soon as the plane took off, the force would cease and it would quickly drop back down again.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 8:23, Reply)

This is covered very well by:
blag.xkcd.com/2008/09/09/the-goddamn-airplane-on-the-goddamn-treadmill/
(bill, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 9:11, Reply)

Yes - eventually
Once the friction overcomes the reversiness of the treadmill. It would be a bit sloppy, but it would take off.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 11:59, Reply)

This
Is the correct answer. Have an internet point.
( Hdjejjwsjdjjf LOOK, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 13:39, Reply)

Depends...
A harrier would.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Tue 9 Jun 2009, 14:56, Reply)