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Who needs a runway? Every airplane can be half a helicopter
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Two airplanes are positioned next to each other on the launching pad, facing opposite directions. A strong steel cable connects the pair. Both planes power up their engines simultaneously, causing the whole thing to spin up into the air like an out-of-control carousel. Once they reach sufficient altitude, the cable is released and both airplanes proceed in opposite directions.

Landing is accomplished by having the two planes make a tighter and tighter spiral until they're close enough that one pilot can hook the other plane, “rodeo-style”, and then reversing the process for taking off.

—ytk, Mar 08 2013

Centripetal force calculator http://www.calctool...wtonian/centrifugal
[Kansan101, Mar 09 2013]

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       A dizzying prospect...
—RayfordSteele, Mar 09 2013
   

       With enough wheel rotation it's a for sure. See a similar "spinning launch" method by searching Google for: discus launch AND glider OR "flying wing."
—Sunstone, Mar 09 2013
   

       This is probably the most perfect "Who needs a runway? Every airplane can be..." concept yet to appear on these hollowed pages.
—MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 09 2013
   

       I think this could actually work, especially with computer controls, except for the landing part.   

       The link indicates that the occupants would only feel a relaxing 2.2 Gs if the steel cable were 100 meters long and the speed were 100 miles per hour.
—Kansan101, Mar 09 2013
   

       Were you allowing for the length of the wings - assuming the tether is on the wingtips?
—MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 09 2013
   

       Nope. Hard to do since I don't know what plane we are talking about.   

       If it is a really big plane, like a 747, you end up with 30 meters of wing at each end, and only 40 meters of cable. Of course, a 747 would not be able to take off at that low a speed.
—Kansan101, Mar 10 2013
   


 

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