Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSky:
To answer your question:

My hypothesis is based on the scenario given, that all aircraft tires are on the belt.

In yours, it seems to me the front tires would rotate faster than the rear ones but the aircraft would continue moving forward until all tires were on the belt, at which time the aircraft's forward motion would cease and all tires would rotate in place.

Does that answer your question?
No, you create a new problem -

You have the plane moving at 100 mph, and the front wheels moving at 100 mph going forward on a conveyor belt moving -100mph and then just stopping.

What force is being applied that stops the forward motion of the plane?
You can't say the motion of the conveyor belt, because if that were true the front wheels of the plane would not be able to move forward in relation to the ground on the belt.

Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSky:
IF you WFers are correct, is the distance needed for takeoff more, less, or the same as needed on a runway?

How did you reach your answer?
The distance the plane travels on the ground for takeoff is the same for either the gorund or the conveyor. The distance the wheels "travel" (that is based on rational speed) on the conveyor belt is twice the distance the wheels travel on the ground becuase their rotaional speed is double.

2 tires of the same size, one turning at 1rpm and theother turning at 2rpm travel different lenghts of ground in the same time. The tire turning 2rpm travels twice the distance of the tire turing 1rpm in the same time amount.
_________________________
Jeffrey
I'm just trying to put my tires on the rocks of life.