can a COMMERCIAL AIRLINER stop in mid air without moving?

Question

me and my friend bet 100$. he says that a commercial flight can stop in mid air because he seen it riding down Aviation Blvd and his mother has experienced it. I say it is impossible for a comercial flight to do this because on they are too heavy and their engines are on the side and/or back. What is your opinion?

Answer 1

hahahahaha. no it cant, sorry man.

Answer 2

Oh My here are the I know it alls saying the plane will drop out of the sky.......WRONG. A jet can stay aloft as long as the air over the wings is strong enough to provide the proper lift. This doesn't necessarily mean the plane/Jet has a forward motion......

Here is what I mean. I know the Stall speed for a Cessna 170 is approx 70 MPH if I were flying into a 150 MPH upper jet stream I can only go 150 MAX this would look on the ground as though I am standing still or better yet flying backwards......Birds do this all the time it is called gliding......Just basic Pilot experience.....

Answer 3

The answer is no, unless you're stretching the definition of "commercial airliner" to include a helicopter being operated to provide a commercial air transport service. Passenger jets can't stop in midair.

The reason an airliner on approach may >look< like it is moving really slowly or has stopped is that it is so big. Let me explain.

You've probably noticed that something moving very close, like fenceposts next the road when you are driving, seems to be going very fast, but things further away, like a distant line of trees seem to be moving more slowly. Your brain is used to this phenomenon so you don't think "whoa, that fence is faster than those trees!" you just adjust to see them all moving by at the speed you are driving.

But an airliner is big. It's bigger than you realize, so you mentally imagine it to be closer than it is. And then your brian adjusts your perception of how fast it is going to how close it thinks it is, making it appear slower.

Likewise when you are a passenger in an airplane, looking down at the ground, the ground appears to be barely moving, because it's so far away. This is the same phenomenon that makes the moon appear to follow you as you drive.

I've seen the opposite trick once, at an airshow. I saw an airplane go by really really unbelievably fast, then I realized it was only a model airplane. Because it appeared to be so small, I calculated it to be further away, and therefore my brain adjusted its speed incorrectly.

Answer 4

A plane could stop moving in mid air. To do this it would have to hit a headwind moving as fast or faster than the plane. I have never heard of a wind this strong. I did something like this when flying years ago. I was doing touch and go landings, I had full flaps on and was just increasing throttle when the wind shifted 180 degrees, it blew me off the runway. I was at about 15feet up and going no were, until i got the flaps off. So yes a plane can stop in mid air. But for your friend to say he saw this, I don't think so. For a commercial airline plane to stop in mid air and not crash would make world history. Sometimes planes landing looks like they stop, but this is due to ones eyes lying to you seeing what is not so. Commercial airlines land at a speed of around 160 to 180 knots. A knot is, one point two mph. This kind of thing only happens in the movies.

Answer 5

An airplane can have zero ground speed while in flight. See the other responses. For a commericial airliner, the same principle applies, but that would require a 160 MPH headwind if we are talking about large jet aircraft that the large carriers fly. Not likely but such a sustained wind has occurred. It is theoretically possible but not due to the circumstances your friend stated. If referring to a light aircraft like a Cessna, used for commercial purposes, then sure, it's possible.

Answer 6

Sure, they can stop moving horizontally in mid-air, but then they'll fall like a freaking ROCK! Anyone with ANY knowledge of elementary physics could tell you this. Your friend needs some help. An airplane, commercial and even military fighter jets need to be moving to keep the air moving over their wings to create lift so they dont' fall from the sky.
-Duo
And if boxing_fan was an aircraft mechanic in the airforce or otherwise I will **** my pants and eat it. holy cow, ppl claim the most RIDICULOUS credentials here.

Answer 7

With a couple of exceptions in the military, fixed wing aircraft must have airflow over and under the wing to stay in the air. If a commercial airliner is successful at coming to a complete stop in mid air, you will need one or more of my old coworkers.

Answer 8

The only airplane (other than a helicopter) that can stop in mid air is a Harrier jet. The U.S. Marines fly these jets. They have thrust vectoring which means they can direct the engine thrust downward therefore creating an upward lift. They can take off and land like this but it consumes more fuel than taking off or landing like a normal airplane.

Answer 9

Helicopters and VTOL jets can hover. You are absolutely 100% correct about the fact that the engines point the wrong way, and they are too heavy. Harrier Jump Jet engines swivel through (at least) 90 degrees to achieve hovering.

Enjoy your $100.

Answer 10

The answer in my opinion is yes, but they wouldn't do it. They can do a vertical stall, all pilots practice this, generally going in to a spin afterwords then recovering. If they are moving forward and lose there lift by going to slow, they will fall like a rock....That being said, if there is a strong enough head wind and a plane like a DC 3, they even could technically be flying backwards....

Answer 11

i'm not sure i understand your question but physics would prevent an aircraft using current (and foreseeable future) technology from stopping in mid-air

the closet thing possible would be something like a mig-29 climbing straight up and executing a tail slide; it would give the appearance for a split second of stopping in mid-air before reversing direction

edit - i'm picturing your question and thinking of something stopping from full speed in an instant; even V/STOLS and helos have to decel to hover

in theory TWA flight 800 came to a halt in mid-air when it exploded, but then all the PIECES kept moving