"Because the conveyor belt speed is the inverse of the plane's airspeed, we can say that the conveyor belt does not move until the plane begins to accelerate forward. Thus, rolling resistance has already been overcome by thrust when this problem really begins.
Initially, the engine thrust is considerably higher than the drag—this is what allows aircraft to take off on regular runways. So the question is, once we start moving and the conveyor belt starts up, does it impose some force on the aircraft that can overcome the force of thrust?"
The point is that people are expected the conveyer to be moving so fast that it counteracts the forward thrust of the plane completely, that kind of speed would probably melt the bearings on the wheels. I think that's the real spirit of the myth. That the plane remains in a stationary and static position relative to the ground where the conveyer belt is negating any rolling resistance completely and negating any thrust. Therefore, it achieves no airspeed and therefore the wings achieve no lift. That is what I believe to be the true spirit of the myth. Too bad they failed to actually test this.
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