Comments on: The Treadmill Problem http://www.mrpilot.org/2006/12/12/the-treadmill-problem/ A blog about aviation, aviation news, and space. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:26:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Andrew Chrysler http://www.mrpilot.org/2006/12/12/the-treadmill-problem/#comment-4 Andrew Chrysler Fri, 15 Dec 2006 07:14:51 +0000 #comment-4 Starting from your no.2 hypothesis...<br /> <br /> As the plane accellerates, the wheels start to revolve.<br /> <br /> The treadmill speeds up to match the wheel's rotation.<br /> <br /> However, as the plane is already moving forward, this simply increases the speed that the wheels rotate.<br /> <br /> So the treadmill speeds up again.<br /> <br /> Which makes the wheels turn faster.<br /> <br /> Which makes the treadmill speed up again.<br /> <br /> This goes on in a loop until one of three things happen....<br /> <br /> 1. The treadmill can't go any faster, or breaks<br /> <br /> 2. The wheel bearings fail, or the tyres explode<br /> <br /> 3. The plane takes off before 1 or 2 happen. Starting from your no.2 hypothesis…

As the plane accellerates, the wheels start to revolve.

The treadmill speeds up to match the wheel’s rotation.

However, as the plane is already moving forward, this simply increases the speed that the wheels rotate.

So the treadmill speeds up again.

Which makes the wheels turn faster.

Which makes the treadmill speed up again.

This goes on in a loop until one of three things happen….

1. The treadmill can’t go any faster, or breaks

2. The wheel bearings fail, or the tyres explode

3. The plane takes off before 1 or 2 happen.

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