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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 15, 2008 20:24:58 GMT 12
Two Heads Up's for this week on Prime TV
Tomorrow night 'Mythbusters' is doing an aviation myth - seeing if an aeroplane can take off from a treadmill rather than a runway (if members have seen this already on Sky or overseas please don't give away the story).
And later this week on the Australian travel-promotion show Things To Do Before You Die I noted that the advert shows some ex-RNZAF Strikemasters, which might be interesting.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 16, 2008 18:00:58 GMT 12
Surely a conventional aeroplane can't takeoff from a treadmill, it's all about airspeed over the wings is't it? Not wheel speed? Was last time I flew.
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Post by stingray on Sept 16, 2008 22:51:58 GMT 12
Exactly what i was thinking the whole time Joe.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 17, 2008 9:59:21 GMT 12
So why don't the Yanks use treadmills instead of catapults on their carriers then? And why don't we shrink airfields by disposing of runways so that more houses can be built around aerodromes?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 17, 2008 11:02:44 GMT 12
I watched it, and the theory was pretty much as Mike said. Basicly the full sized aircraft they used could take off on 70 feet of runway. But with the ground running backwards beneath it at the same speed it was powered to move forward the aeroplane took off in about 20 - 30 feet. They supposedly proved it is possible. I'm not entirely convinced as they never showed us the power settings, etc.
Apparently this topic had caused the biggest debate they'd ever seen on he internet about a myth before they attempted it, so I expect they'll get lots of chalenges after it aired and may have to do it again.
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Post by FlyNavy on Sept 17, 2008 12:45:28 GMT 12
The USN tried 'banked' circular runways for shore based operations. Even had a Skyhawk landing on such a thing but it proved impractical. No trouble with crosswinds - construction costs were the main concern.
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Post by FlyNavy on Sept 17, 2008 13:14:16 GMT 12
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Post by FlyNavy on Sept 17, 2008 13:52:54 GMT 12
Circular Runway - Bowl Landing story from Air & Space Magn April/May 2004:  
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 17, 2008 14:07:03 GMT 12
There was also the Spitfire take off method trialled early in the war where it was tethered to a pole and went round and round like a control-line model till it had sufficient airspeed and then the cable detached. Sheer madness.
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Post by flyjoe180 on Sept 19, 2008 10:47:38 GMT 12
Pilot would be rather dizzy at the end of the line ;D
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Post by FlyNavy on Sept 19, 2008 11:11:31 GMT 12
The G forces at the end of that line would have been horrendous. The pilot was probably mush. ;D
[or 'not mush room inside?']
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