# Mythbusters -- Plane on a treadmill
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 13, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879 "2007-12-13T17:55:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/1 "2007-12-13T17:55:18Z")
So [they didn’t actually do it last night,](http://www.kottke.org/07/12/internet-pissed-at-mythbusters-for-not-showing-airplane-on-a-treadmill) and the internet got pissed off. However, apparently it was filmed, is spectacular, and will air on January 30.
The question is: Is there any chance in hell that they’ll actually get this right?
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### Author:  [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/2 "2007-12-13T18:22:08Z")
Thanks for that link. I watched the episode last night and while it was very good and informative, I really wanted to see the planes on a treadmill part. It was cool to learn that even though a novice has never been “talked down” on a commercial airliner before, it is very possible to do.
I feel like they may have the highest number of doper viewers ever on Jan. 30th now.
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### Author:  [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/3 "2007-12-13T22:05:09Z")
For sure, although we always seem to think of these memes as our own; this one’s been all over the internet.
I like the Mythbusters show. It’s certainly entertaining. But a lot of times they get something wrong and, while still entertaining, don’t really end up testing the myth. In this case, I have a suspicion that the conversation will go something like this:
Adam: OK, we know that the takeoff speed of this small aircraft is 65mph.
Jaime: Right, so let’s build a giant conveyor belt that will move at 65mph, start the plane, and see if it takes off.
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### Author:  [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/4 "2007-12-13T23:32:35Z")
The biggest problem i have with their show is most of the stuff they do can be figured out with simple math.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/5 "2007-12-14T00:31:14Z")
The Mythbusters’s version of the plane on a treadmill:
If you have an airplane on a treadmill that matches its speed, will it explode in the air or on the ground?
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### Author:  [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/6 "2007-12-14T00:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=ChrisBooth12]
The biggest problem i have with their show is most of the stuff they do can be figured out with simple math.
[/QUOTE]
Please do the simple math which tests the proverb “a bull in a china shop”.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/7 "2007-12-14T00:37:46Z")
Bull + ChinaShop = GiantFuckingMess.
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### Author:  [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/8 "2007-12-14T00:39:08Z")
[QUOTE=ChrisBooth12]
The biggest problem i have with their show is most of the stuff they do can be figured out with simple math.
[/QUOTE]
Well…yeah. But (barring a few surprising results) it’s pretty obvious what the outcome will be, but it can be fairly interesting watching it actually tested out.
I mean, come on. Even if you can figure out what’s going to happen with simple math, it’s exciting to see [an astronaut dropping a feather and a hammer on the moon](http://youtube.com/watch?v=5C5_dOEyAfk) and watching them land at the same time.
I’ve been around enough of the plane & treadmill threads that at this point I pretty much know exactly what’s going to happen. But it’ll still be cool to see it happen, especially if they do it full scale and but an actual fucking plane on a treadmill.
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### Author:  [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/9 "2007-12-14T00:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=Jayrot]
Even if you can figure out what’s going to happen with simple math, it’s exciting to see [an astronaut dropping a feather and a hammer on the moon](http://youtube.com/watch?v=5C5_dOEyAfk) and watching them land at the same time.
[/QUOTE]
I agree completely. And thanks for that link. That was a great thing to see (as long as you ignore the “debate” in the comments).
The Plane on a Threadmill is one of my favorite recurrent myths/threads here and I would love to see it tested for real. That’s how science is done, right? You take the best knowledge you have, extrapolate till you find an answer and then _you test it_ with experiments. (And before anyone starts, I realize mythbusters isn’t exactly scientific - I also just like big bangs and explosions).
Does anyone know what kind of plane they used? I hope it’s something reasonably big, IOW not some radio controlled model.
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### Author:  [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/10 "2007-12-14T01:13:38Z")
[QUOTE=Superfluous Parentheses]
I agree completely. And thanks for that link. That was a great thing to see (as long as you ignore the “debate” in the comments).
[/quote]
Yeah, no kidding. I couldn’t resist, though.
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### Author:  [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/11 "2007-12-14T01:25:22Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise]
Bull + ChinaShop = GiantFuckingMess.
[/QUOTE]
Did you actually see the episode? Because somewhat surprisingly that’s not the right answer.
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/12 "2007-12-14T03:01:44Z")
[QUOTE=SenorBeef]
Did you actually see the episode? Because somewhat surprisingly that’s not the right answer.
[/QUOTE]
It was a GianFuckingMess for the people who made predictions, though.
As for the airplane on the treadmill, I understand they are using an ultralight.
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### Author:  [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/13 "2007-12-14T18:15:54Z")
[QUOTE=Superfluous Parentheses]
The Plane on a Threadmill is one of my favorite recurrent myths/threads here and I would love to see it tested for real. That’s how science is done, right? You take the best knowledge you have, extrapolate till you find an answer and then _you test it_ with experiments. (And before anyone starts, I realize mythbusters isn’t exactly scientific - I also just like big bangs and explosions).
[/QUOTE]
At the risk of starting the whole thing up again, my impression was that the big hoorah over Plane on a Treadmill is due to the question being imprecise. Whatever they end up testing, it won’t actually resolve anything.
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### Author:  [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/14 "2007-12-14T18:18:31Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo]
The Mythbusters’s version of the plane on a treadmill:
If you have an airplane on a treadmill that matches its speed, will it explode in the air or on the ground?
[/QUOTE]
I think it’s more “what do we have to do to MAKE it explode.” 😃
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### Author:  [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/15 "2007-12-14T18:26:47Z")
“The plane on the treadmill didn’t explode. But what happens when we ramp it up, Mythbusters style? Adam and Jamie decide to pour gasoline all over the plane, the treadmill and the camera team. Now watch what happens when they fire a surplus WWII 81 millimeter mortar at the plane…”
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/16 "2007-12-14T18:31:35Z")
What if Sparticus had a Piper Cub on a treadmill?
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### Author:  [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/17 "2007-12-14T19:44:12Z")
The belt of the treadmill will be a chain of dynamite sticks. The airplane made of termite.
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### Author:  [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/18 "2007-12-14T19:52:08Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo]
The airplane made of **termite**.
[/QUOTE]
(emphasis added)
So they’ll eat the dynamite? And then you’ll have a giant flying bug waiting to explode when it lands…
🆒
I wanna see that!
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### Author:  [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/19 "2007-12-14T19:58:51Z")
I agree that the treadmill thing is impossible and/or pointless to test.
But anyhow, has the show just become an extension of this forum now? Do we get some sort of royalties?
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [December 14, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mythbusters-plane-on-a-treadmill/429879/20 "2007-12-14T20:20:44Z")
[QUOTE=ChrisBooth12]
The biggest problem i have with their show is most of the stuff they do can be figured out with simple math.
[/QUOTE]
Simple math is bad TV. MYth requires explosions: good TV. Plus how do you get the red head into an equation.?
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