Why airplanes taxi

Fixed-wing aircraft taxi because their wheels reduce friction as they
move forward
on the ground.

:-) I am feeling profound today...

writes:

Fixed-wing aircraft taxi because their wheels reduce friction as they
move forward on the ground.

So, logically, spacecraft in the frictionless environment of outer space
should immediately accelerate to the speed of light.

On Feb 6, 10:24*am, Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:
Fixed-wing aircraft taxi because their wheels reduce friction as they
move forward on the ground.

So, logically, spacecraft in the frictionless environment of outer space
should immediately accelerate to the speed of light.

Space isn't frictionless dummy.

writes:

Space isn't frictionless dummy.

Where does the friction come from?

On Feb 6, 10:36*am, Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:
Space isn't frictionless dummy.

Where does the friction come from?

Molecules

On Feb 6, 10:39*am, wrote:
On Feb 6, 10:36*am, Mxsmanic wrote:

writes:
Space isn't frictionless dummy.

Where does the friction come from?

Molecules

And to answer your next post before you post it:

What molecules?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space

On Feb 6, 9:24*am, Mxsmanic wrote:
writes:
Fixed-wing aircraft taxi because their wheels reduce friction as they
move forward on the ground.

So, logically, spacecraft in the frictionless environment of outer space
should immediately accelerate to the speed of light.

No, it still takes energy to accelerate a mass, even in a frictionless
environment. However, it would not take energy to maintain velocity in
a friction free environment. However, space (especially near space) is
not frictionless.

-Robert

"Mxsmanic" wrote in message
...
writes:

Space isn't frictionless dummy.

Where does the friction come from?

Two posters arguing with eachother. :-)

writes:

Molecules

There aren't any molecules in space. It's a hard vacuum.

On Feb 6, 10:19*am, wrote:
Fixed-wing aircraft taxi because their wheels reduce friction as they
move forward
on the ground.


Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Fixed-wing aircraft can only achieve a stable taxi by keeping the CG
between the forward and aft wheel points(WPs). This is why it is so
important in aircraft design that the WPs be placed correctly. In
the early days of aviation some designers placed all the wheels to one
side of the CG, with the result that the aircraft was dynamically
unstable in taxi. Sadly, many lives were lost before this phenomenon
was understood.

If the CG is placed correctly in relation to the WPs, the aircraft
establishes taxi by moving the Earth beneath it. Turns are achieved
by rotating the Earth. Flight is achieved by dropping the Earth down,
and a landing is made by lifting it back up. Aerobatics involve
combinations of lifting, dropping, and rotating.

I hope this clears things up for everyone.

Phil