A conundrum to mull over.

[marathondan]

Sweder, I heartily agree with your proposal, but it seems we're all wrong. See here. When the pilot starts the engines, the plane moves as normal, no matter how fast the wheels are spinning on the treadmill. Or to put it another way, no matter how fast the treadmill turns, it won't be able to stop the plane moving and taking off (unless it moves so fast as to melt the bearings in the wheels...)

NB I particularly like the explanation "imagine you're standing on a health-club treadmill in rollerblades while holding a rope attached to the wall in front of you" - something I do all the time of course.

SP, did you know the answer when you first posted this?