Are Circular Runways coming?

[blanston12]

Not sure if this is an April Fools joke but saw this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39284294

First saw this on Sim-Outhouse

[FlyTexas]

Interesting. FSX meets NASCAR. Years ago there was a Piper Cub pilot who would take off from a circular "runway". He had the Cub's left wing attached to a tether which was attached to a post in the center of his "runway". Round and round he'd go until he released the tether...and off he flew.

Brian

[Nigel H-J]

In theory it might seem OK but: I somehow do not think that it is feasible, too many 'what if' scenarios. Just a gimmick more than an April Fool methinks!

Regards
Nigel.

[Kevin Farnell]

How could they set up an ILS to that?
And what about landing on a banked runway? Oh, wait I think I've flown with a pilot who was practicing for that!

Kevin

[blanston12]

The biggest problem I see is that as a pilot there would be a very specific spot to land on, like landing on the deck of a carrier, if you miss that spot you have to go around. Where with a typical 8000+ ft runway at an airport you have a pretty wide area you can hit, for most aircraft, you're ok if you land anywhere in the first 1000 ft of the runway.

[Hot_Charlie]

The Americans tried it more than 50 years ago. It worked, but it was, and is, a completely impractical setup.

[Airspeed]

The Americans tried it more than 50 years ago. It worked, but it was, and is, a completely impractical setup.

Pity that the Europeans didn't read that first!
Still, times have changed; perhaps there's some possibility.

I enjoyed the follow-on BBC Hack about the Chinese solar valley.
Personally, I fail to understand why wave generated power is taking so long to sort out.
The tide and waves aren't so dependent on sunshine or wind.

[511Flyer]

How about a rolling runway, like a treadmill?

[Tako_Kichi]

That wouldn't increase the speed of the airflow over the wings and therefore no lift would be generated.

[blanston12]

That wouldn't increase the speed of the airflow over the wings and therefore no lift would be generated.

You could put a giant fan in front of the tread mill so you get air going over the wings.

Actually you would not need the treadmill, you just need the fan.

Actually, that won't work also, once your outside the wind made by the fan you have no momentum and your done.