Topic: So can you go downwind faster than windspeed?

[Inigo Montoya]

Bet the answer isnt what some of you think it is.

http://jalopnik.com/5556198/wind+powered-car-proves-internet-naysayers-wrong

[wannabridin]

pretty freaking cool!  the visuals help clear up what exactly people were arguing about...  nice find!

[Bob Wessner]

Yeah, but it doesn't answer the really big question, can a plane take off on a conveyer belt?   

[Inigo Montoya]

bob...shut up!   I thought you knew better than that!

[KeithTurk]

Well....ahhh No .... unless the belt has some associated devices to create drag,  then the air passing below the plane would have it's own wind speed.... which would allow the aircraft to lift off the belt once the wind speed exceeded it's minimum take off speed.

Now the next question.... if your flying forward at 200mph and fire rockets.... will the 400mph rocket be going 600mph or 400mph?

[gmonkey]

Now the next question.... if your flying forward at 200mph and fire rockets.... will the 400mph rocket be going 600mph or 400mph?

Depends on whether or not you're in a vacuum.

[tramp]

OMG
i had hoped that we were done with this kind of thread
my head still hurts from the others
the rocket would still travel at 400mph

[Gordon]

He ruined all the fun by posting the answer right in the first post!

[MCRider]

I was under the impression that iceboats did that all along? according to this article they do. No news here.

Scroll to the bottom.

http://www.iceboat.org/faqiceboat.html

[KeithTurk]

actually it would fly at it's maximum velocity for the propellant it had available  and would use significantly less Fuel to get to speed so it's top speed would likely be significantly higher then 400 but most likely well less then 600 as the Aero loading would go up radically with increased speeds...

Fun stuff if your in that business...

[Gordon]

If you're pissing into a 50mph headwind, how hard do you have to push to keep from getting your pants wet, and what injuries will you incur from pushing so hard? 

[KeithTurk]

Shoot that one is easy Gordon......  not hard at all.... Simply point it UP!!!

[Gordon]

Shoot that one is easy Gordon......  not hard at all.... Simply point it UP!!!

Don't forget to close your mouth!

[KeithTurk]

Ya ThhiiinK??

[wannabridin]

if a man speaks deep in a forest, and there's no woman there to hear him, is he still wrong??   

[KeithTurk]

Doesn't that depend on his approach speed and angle of descent?

[syth82]

If you're pissing into a 50mph headwind, how hard do you have to push to keep from getting your pants wet, and what injuries will you incur from pushing so hard? 

i think, with a 50mph wind, your best bet would be to lie down and hope it clears your hair....

[BobbyR]

if a man speaks deep in a forest, and there's no woman there to hear him, is he still wrong??   

Of course he is. We are always wrong.   

[Pinhead]

Well....ahhh No .... unless the belt has some associated devices to create drag,  then the air passing below the plane would have it's own wind speed.... which would allow the aircraft to lift off the belt once the wind speed exceeded it's minimum take off speed.

Now the next question.... if your flying forward at 200mph and fire rockets.... will the 400mph rocket be going 600mph or 400mph?

Depends on if the aircraft is fully functional or not. Since the original question doesn't quantify "aircraft," it must be assumed that the vehicle is a fully-functional aircraft which means it has a working engine. This means it will produce thrust independent of wheel speed.

So yes, the plane can take off on a conveyor; the wheels will just be spinning faster than if the aircraft was lifting off static ground.

[Retro Rocket]

Well....ahhh No .... unless the belt has some associated devices to create drag,  then the air passing below the plane would have it's own wind speed.... which would allow the aircraft to lift off the belt once the wind speed exceeded it's minimum take off speed.

Now the next question.... if your flying forward at 200mph and fire rockets.... will the 400mph rocket be going 600mph or 400mph?

Depends on if the aircraft is fully functional or not. Since the original question doesn't quantify "aircraft," it must be assumed that the vehicle is a fully-functional aircraft which means it has a working engine. This means it will produce thrust independent of wheel speed.

So yes, the plane can take off on a conveyor; the wheels will just be spinning faster than if the aircraft was lifting off static ground.

Now you've done it.......

Mick