Quote:
Originally posted by BlueSky:
...If the plane doesn't move forward, there's no airflow....
That's the bad assumption of everybody who thinks the plane doesn't move.

The ONLY rearward force on the system is a nominal amount of friction on the wheels (which spin FREELY!). This will NEVER be enough to prevent forward motion against thousands of pounds of thrust.

Go back in the thread and look at the free-body diagram (FBD). Also look at my t= scenario which explains how the conveyor belt will affect the system.

As I said before. This is not rocket science or an aerospace engineering problem. This is a 9th-grade Physics problem that requires the person to understand how an airplane propels itself (the wheels aren't involved in propulsion). If people don't, at least, have that background, they should refrain from comment.

There is one recognized correct answer to this problem. Look at the FBD, stop getting hung up on the conveyor belt, and disregard rockaholics invalid scenario. ONLY THEN will you be able to come to terms with the recognized correct answer.

The plane flies.

Good luck!
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