MythBusters

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

 

[BigJ]

Btw, it's my first time seeing Kari in HD on my TV. Me likey

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Jeff7



I am roughly THIIIIIIIIS surprised that the plane moves forward.

I think that we all knew that it would move forward... but will it take off?

 

[SKORPI0]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
if the plane takes off, wouldn't the navy being using it on aircraft carriers?

Because it won't take off, thus the need of a catapult. :lips:

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

 

[illusion88]

I dont get the channel... someone cap it!

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
if the plane takes off, wouldn't the navy being using it on aircraft carriers?

carriers have catapults that accelerate the aircraft to > takeoff speeds

now if you had a carrier that went 200-250mph, then you wouldnt need catapults - planes would simply start to take off because the airspeed over the wings is high enough to generate lift.

note how in the 200mph carrier, velocity of plane WRT the carrier is 0, but the air velocity WRT both the plane and the carrier is (-)200mph.

 

[PottedMeat]

I don't really care too much about the treadmill one, nobodys' going to be happy with the result.

I do find the roach-radiation thing interesting.

 

[erikistired]

imho they messed up, if the treadmill is going 11 mph and the plane is going faster (which it looked like it was to me) of course it's going to move forward. i know i know, it doesn't matter blah blah. but i'd still like to see it done that way. that would cover the whole frictionless bearings thing or whatever.

on replay maybe it was going about 11 mph, it looked faster the first time.

 

[sao123]

where the hell is smackdown???

hes in hiding tonight i see.

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

honestly this is the whole concept that i did not understand/think about until I read it in this thread or another one about this whole debate.

it actually makes complete sense to me and I think the plane will definitely take off.

the fact that it simply moved forward on the treadmill when they were both "going" 11.5mph or whatever basically proves that the ground moving doesn't effect it actually picking up speed.

it may take longer to get to take off speed, but it willt ake off.

 

[erikistired]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

it's not pushing air over the wings.

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Ns1

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

That's not why prop planes fly. Yes, some air is pushed over the wings, but that's not what makes them fly. If it was because of the prop's air going over the wings, then a prop plane could take off vertically.

Gliders, 747's, any of them (subsonic anyway) fly thanks to the shape and angle of the wings as air passes over them due to their speed. If I had a sufficiently powerful pickup truck, I could tow either a prop plane or a 747, and once I'd reach their regular takeoff speed, they'd take off.




Ack, I am so not used to watching TV without being able to skip the commercials.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: Ns1

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

That's not why prop planes fly. Yes, some air is pushed over the wings, but that's not what makes them fly. If it was because of the prop's air going over the wings, then a prop plane could take off vertically.

Gliders, 747's, any of them (subsonic anyway) fly thanks to the shape and angle of the wings as air passes over them due to their speed. If I had a sufficiently powerful pickup truck, I could tow either a prop plane or a 747, and once I'd reach their regular takeoff speed, they'd take off.

yah, but if there's a treadmill, wouldn't that mean there's no air moving over the wings since the plane isn't moving?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Btw, it's my first time seeing Kari in HD on my TV. Me likey

I'm still baffled by the fact that I have Discovery HD but neither Mythbusters or Dirty Jobs or really any of the good shows are in HD. What up wit dat?

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: fisher
imho they messed up, if the treadmill is going 11 mph and the plane is going faster (which it looked like it was to me) of course it's going to move forward. i know i know, it doesn't matter blah blah. but i'd still like to see it done that way. that would cover the whole frictionless bearings thing or whatever.

it doesn't matter how fast the conveyor belt goes, that is the point
<trout smack>

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: Ns1
yah, but if there's a treadmill, wouldn't that mean there's no air moving over the wings since the plane isn't moving?

They just put the plane on a treadmill, with the treadmill running at the plane's takeoff speed. The plane moved forward easily.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

no. same idea actually.

the thrust (how the plane moves) has nothing to do with the wheels.

so yes it takes off.

 

[mrSHEiK124]

Originally posted by: fisher
the plane was going faster than the treadmill. duh. if i'm not mistaken the treadmill and the plane are going the same speed in the "myth" no? i call foul!

Or, how about a fucking treadmill's got NOTHING TO DO with whether or not the plane moves? Screw the wheels, put the bare plane down on a treadmill and it will still take off. You'll probably scrape the crap out of the underbody, but goddamnit UP IT GOES.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Ns1

Originally posted by: Jeff7

Originally posted by: MBrown
How is this even possible? The air has to go over the wings in order for the plane to get lift.

The issue that people don't get is that the plane can move forward. A car moves forward because of the wheels pushing against the ground.
A plane moves forward because the props/engines push on the air around the plane, NOT on the ground. The wheels are there only to reduce friction with the ground, quite the opposite of why they're there on a car.

Plane moves forward, air flows over wings, plane taketh off.

I agree, if the prop is in front. But wouldn't a turbine plane, which means the air IS NOT pushed over the wings, auto-fail?

The props don't make a plane fly by pushing air over the wings, they are simply small rotating wings creating lift horizontally.

 

[ultimatebob]

Come on... the butcher paper is just hokey!

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: BigJ
Btw, it's my first time seeing Kari in HD on my TV. Me likey

I'm still baffled by the fact that I have Discovery HD but neither Mythbusters or Dirty Jobs or really any of the good shows are in HD. What up wit dat?

if you're like me, you have HDT which has replaced discovery HD. I think DirecTV has discovery hd, correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm kinda tired of seeing oc chopers, 1000 places, sunrise earth, and all other kinds of shit.

I'd much rather have the regular discovery HD


re: all the above, thanks.

 

[LegendKiller]

I can't believe people think that the prop is for creating lift. Actually, this is America, I can.

 

[FoBoT]

jamie is assplaining it right now, listen

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin

Originally posted by: BigJ
Btw, it's my first time seeing Kari in HD on my TV. Me likey

I'm still baffled by the fact that I have Discovery HD but neither Mythbusters or Dirty Jobs or really any of the good shows are in HD. What up wit dat?

weird.



hahah now they are explaining why a car stays.

smackdown! this is for you watch it!