So...about that plane on the treadmill...

Thrust is going to overcome drag and move the airplane forward.

Not in my Cherokee.


Sure it will!

If we can have a treadmill the size of a runway, and [which is] able to
sense the rotation of the airplane's wheels; then we can require it to be
both frictionless and inertia-free.

There are other amusing combinations as well; but the point the central
point remains: So long as the airplane is not attached to (or restrained
by) anything other than the "belt" of the treadmill, it will take off and
fly quite normally--without regard for humorous statements (including mine)
regarding doubled wheel speed.

Since the original problem statement made no assertion that the airplane
would be tied down, it obviously is not, and the the problem is
solved--quite simply because there was no problem.

Peter