Can the Plane Take-Off?

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by dlavery

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The distinction becomes important if we try to put details on the original problem statement. Depnding on how the "plane speed" is determined (e.g. speed relative to the ground as determined by a ground-based observer, speed relative to the belt as determine by a belt-based observer, speed relative to the belt as determined by an airplane-based observer, speed relative to the ground as determined by an airplane-based observer, etc etc etc), you are going to come up with a different answer to the question.

-dave

but there is no equipment on any aircraft that measures ground speed through the tires - they dont use the same speedometers that a car uses.

so if you ADD one to an aircraft for the purpose of this experiment, then you are altering the way that aircraft measure their ground speed, and you are rigging the test to get the answer you want.