Ok guys.

The Mythbuster's episode airs tonight.

This is a simple poll to determine just how smart our FG community is.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.. NO POSTS...
JUST choose an answer in the Poll.
(And Mod that see's a post please delete it!)

Choose wisely guys... and we will let the percentages speak after the show.

Oh and to keep this civil, I will make the Poll private. So really vote what you feel is correct!

Can somebody tape this and upload it, so our poor sorry canada butts can watch it, Discovery Canada sucks, totally different broadcasts.

it flew!!!!

WHOOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MYTH BUSTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL you uber science guys can bite the BANANA!!!
IT FLEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with Sleepy, WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

BUSTED!!!

THEY DID IT WRONG!!!!

THE THROTTLE ON THE PLANE WAS TOO HIGH, OR, the belt was going too slow.

myth: conveyor belt going at speed to keep the plane STILL will not let plane take off....

the plane was CLEARLY going FASTER than the conveyor belt, they did it WRONG!

IF they would have slowly sped up, so that the pilot would give just enough throttle not to move until they got to take off speed (read from the truck pulling the belt) it would have been right!

ok...who's going to be the first to claim they did it wrong???

edit: wow!! ok....mudsurfer wins it!! he posted right as i did!

I AM!

If I can figure out how to get a big enough conveyor belt, i'm gonna try it with a foamy.

Say the take off spead of my foamy edge is 10 mph.... then the belt should be at 10 mph, but also, the throttle should be where it is when the plane is moving 10 mph... not more....

They forgot to adjust the throttle so that the plane has no forward motion. The pilot of the ultralite even mentioned it before he took off. He said "if the tarp is moving at 25MPH and the plane is made to sit on the moving tarp with no airspeed, it WILL NOT take off." What did he do? He gunned it and made no attempt to have the plane sitting on top of the moving tarp. He went faster than the tarps speed. Everyone with half a brain would know that a tarp or no tarp under a plane will not change anything.

Originally Posted by Mudsurfer1234

THEY DID IT WRONG!!!!

THE THROTTLE ON THE PLANE WAS TOO HIGH, OR, the belt was going too slow.

myth: conveyor belt going at speed to keep the plane STILL will not let plane take off....

the plane was CLEARLY going FASTER than the conveyor belt, they did it WRONG!

IF they would have slowly sped up, so that the pilot would give just enough throttle not to move until they got to take off speed (read from the truck pulling the belt) it would have been right!

You can't be serious.

Yes, Mudsurfer, I'm with ya. And I am PISSSED! I turned the show off swearing and cussing!

Not trying to spam, but don't wanna edit the same post again...

My argument/reason: A plane needs AIR SPEED to fly, for wings to create enough lift, if the WHEELS are turning, but the plane is not moving, there's no airspeed. If the throttle was up to keep it still, yes, there would be air flowing over the wings, BUT, there is NOT enough air. If there was enough air, the plane would NEVER stall, no matter how slow, because the prop would produce enough air.

Also, i'm not posting angry, i just think this is a cool topic, and like debatin' it!


Edit: If the plane could take off, then it should work with a GLIDER as well!

In other words, they did it wrong.

There was a YouTube video about this earlier.. with a very small plane on a treadmill.. the treadmill is only a factor until the speed of the prop overcomes the friction from the treadmill. At tlat point (well below takeoff speed), the plane will start to move forward.

so, at 1/2 takeoff speed, with the friction out of the equation, the plane will travel the same speed forward ON the treadmill as it would OFF of the treadmill. When it reaches takeoff speed (assuming the treadmill was long enough) it would take off. The wheels would be spinning at twice takeoff speed, but they are irrelevant. the plane is traveling, by way of propeller thrust, at takeoff speed, and flight physics will get the plane off the ground!

But, you are right.. they did a poor job of explaining this.

The point they SHOULD HAVE MADE BETTER was that the throttle SHOULD HAVE been at takeoff power with the conveyer turning underneath at TAKEOFF SPEED (backwards).