mythbusters

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Nerobro

There's a thread on the SA forums that has been going for something like a year on that subject. ... I don't get it either.

Here's the quick off topic thought experiment
1. You are a plane
2. You are wearing roller blades (landing gear)
3. Your engine is a rope that is tied to a pole in front of you (pretend like it's thrust applied through the air)
4. You are standing on a conveyor belt (treadmill)
5. Start pulling yourself forward with the rope and turn the treadmill on

You will move forward Why? Because you're applying power through the "air" - not through the ground You will not remain stationary nor will you move backwards - remember, it's airspeed that matters, not ground speed. When I explain in these terms, almost everyone I've spoken with has that "Eureka" moment

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by theclencher

i don't get what the weather has to do with it

lol

Well, when it's hot and humid, it takes more airspeed for aircraft to take off. Ya sea?

[GasSavers_bobski]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

The mileage claimed isn't based on testing procedure etc. - It's based on tank to tank fills Which, in itself, is at the whim of things like pump error (which is why it's recommended to fill at the same pump every time and fill in the consistent manner).

While pumping error would certainly give you variations in the calculated MPG for a given tank, I'm pretty sure it would average out over a few tanks:
If the pump cuts off early on a given tank, you would get slightly higher calculated MPG than you actually achieved. But, that would leave you with a less than full tank. When you run the tank down and fill it back up to full (without the early cutoff), you would fill up that space in the tank that the early cutoff made you miss, in addition to the fuel that was burned. Since the fuel dispensed is greater than the actual fuel burned, the calculated MPG would be lower than what was achieved.

[Nerobro]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

Here's the quick off topic thought experiment

You'd think that would work.. but they're convinced that wheel drag would counteract the thrust. And while that's true to a certian extent, rolling resistance is a mostly linear thing, and quite small, especially with the tire pressures that airplanes run.

Some people are just determined to live with their head in their own little ostrich hole. That said.. I see that same "point of view" here sometimes.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by Nerobro

Some people are just determined to live with their head in their own little ostrich hole.

I wouldn't go so far as to say their heads are buried -- only because what's intuitive for one person is an abstract concept for another... But it really does suck when the very in depth and detailed explanation is argued for something as small as bearing heat/thermal expansion

While pumping error would certainly give you variations in the calculated MPG for a given tank, I'm pretty sure it would average out over a few tanks:

Yeah totally - it was more of an example of how anal some of us are to control variables

[93dagsr]

ok.... soo.... any myths or anything you guys think we should ask to be played with!?

[GasSavers_Brock]

I like to get mpg averages over 10,000 miles or so My lifetime in this car is 55.39 over 68,000 miles. Sure a tank might be a bit off one way or the other, but it's got to be pretty darn close at 68k

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by 93dagsr

ok.... soo.... any myths or anything you guys think we should ask to be played with!?

Ram Implosion Wing... Seems like it's right up Mythbuster's alley.

1) Found on Internet
2) Crazy claims
3) Goofy Testimonials
4) Inventor says he's been told it violates fundamental physics, but disregards this
5) He even sells a kit! For a steal of $450+ or custom built for over $800
6) Website hosted on tripod

http://quantumgravitics.tripod.com/id3.html

[lunarhighway]

yea you've gotta love that one!

looks like he's heading for a star trek convention.

[Rick Rae]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

Ram Implosion Wing...

Originally Posted by the Ram Implosion Wing guy

To the best of my knowledge this is the worlds first and only modern day working experimental f/e application that can be built by the home-hobbyist researcher and then be pressed into practical use, and pay for itself by extending your current mileage...

Not very well-read on FE, is he.

Rick