Plane on a conveyor revisited Options

[james]

Dragging up the past a bit - TV show Mythbusters ran it's much anticipated episode with a practical experiment version of this question on it a couple of nights ago over in the US.

I don't know when it will come on over here but for the curious Kottke liveblogged it and also links to another good explanation from a guy with a Sc.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering (whatever that is).

And for the hard of attention and understanding - yes of course it takes off.

[Emily]

the engine is pulling the plane through the air - air goes in one end out the other, its not the wheels doing the work its the engine pushing through the air, like with the rope the wheels are just letting the plane move more easily while the engines move it
this is as far as my explanation goes, i can't think of anything else

[Jeffers]

Emily is correct.

the engine is pulling the plane through the air - air goes in one end out the other, its not the wheels doing the work its the engine pushing through the air, like with the rope the wheels are just letting the plane move more easily while the engines move it
this is as far as my explanation goes, i can't think of anything else