Quote:
Originally posted by RiNkY:
Stick the same plane on a regular runway with a constant 200mph tail wind. Accelerate the plane so it is going 200mph (Ground Speed). Will the plane fly? No - because in essence it's air speed is 0mph. The 200mph tail wind cancels out the 200mph forward speed. Airflow over the all important wings is 0mph.
I would argue that the plane could basically hover in this condition and hence be flying. This is why you land with your nose in the wind, so you can maintain a little relative ground speed with as much as possible air speed.

There were many times flying small R/C airplanes that I experienced this, lots of fun hovering an airplane in the wind. Although when the wind changed direction quickly the lift was gone and if you didn't have the altitude to gain airspeed again you crashed.