Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'

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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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