Peter, I think you lost the relative perspective. Given the original riddle,
the treadmill only moves backward at the same rate the plane moves forward.
If the plane was developing exactly enough thrust to counteract the
headwind, it will not move and neither will the treadmill.

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Travis
"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Damian" wrote in message
...
Paul...dont look now, but that airplane is NOT flying off the ground
until the AIRSPEED is up...the treadmill is only moving the TIRES, that
means diddly squat to an airplane.

Damian, don't look now but Paul is exactly right (except for his rude
nature, of course).

The treadmill is irrelevant to the airplane's motion. If the airplane is
stationary on the treadmill, it's because it has a headwind the same speed
as the treadmill and enough thrust to fly into the headwind at the same
speed as the treadmill. Of course, the wheels will be turning on the
treadmill, but only because the treadmill is rotating them against the
air-based stationary nature of the airplane.

Without a suitable headwind for the airplane to fly into, the treadmill
would just push the airplane backward. Airplanes don't use their wheels
for transmitting power to forward motion (most don't, anyway ).

Pete