If you fly fast enough in one direction can you reach space?

[comedy dave]

Right it's one of "those" questions again.
If an aeroplane / jet etc was to take off, then fly as fast as possible in 1 paticular direction could you in theory fly "into" space?
Or would the earth rotating / gravity etc prevent this?

[JD]

I imagine the lack of air would be the problem

[john_r]

No, not with fuel that requires atmospheric oxygen to burn.

Hence they invented 'rockets'...

[ewenm]

Definitely possible - google Newtonian Mountain for a non-powered example.

[Justayellowbadge]

What exactly do you think 'escape velocity' refers to?

[cyb]

Yes

[sidekickdmr]

This is a helipad for a plush Spa!

So yes, if you fly fast enough towards it you will end up there and go to the spa for a swim.

[DrTre]

Aye, about 200 miles due East from Gatwick should do it.

[JuniorD]

You kinda have to fly up a bit.

HTH

[Maxf]

If the direction was 'up' then I guess so.

[Emsman]

I used to fly in most evenings.

Pack of fags, bottle of wine, crap service and hugely inflated prices.

Oh, hang on, that was Spar

[soad]

Emsman said:

I used to fly in most evenings.

Pack of fags, bottle of wine, crap service and hugely inflated prices.

Oh, hang on, that was Spar

Nicely put

[SC7]

It depends if the plane is on a conveyor belt.

[Zad]

Yes, if you had a powerful enough gun or rocket motor, you could fire the projectile horizontally and it would end up in orbit. You would need to be doing 11.2km/s to do it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity

[comedy dave]

It's meant to say space but maybe the title was too long.
So, if you were in a plan & you went vertically up say 1.5 miles, then flew horizontally you WOULD eventually end up in space?

[s3fella]

comedy dave said:

It's meant to say space but maybe the title was too long.
So, if you were in a plan & you went vertically up say 1.5 miles, then flew horizontally you WOULD eventually end up in space?

WTF??

are you on crack?

[ZesPak]

comedy dave said:

It's meant to say space but maybe the title was too long.
So, if you were in a plan & you went vertically up say 1.5 miles, then flew horizontally you WOULD eventually end up in space?

A plan in a spa?

I don't get it, if you fly up 1.5miles and then horizontally? You'll fly into the first mountain you encounter.

[The Ferret]

ZesPak said:

comedy dave said:

It's meant to say space but maybe the title was too long.
So, if you were in a plan & you went vertically up say 1.5 miles, then flew horizontally you WOULD eventually end up in space?

A plan in a spa?

I don't get it, if you fly up 1.5miles and then horizontally? You'll fly into the first mountain you encounter.

or the first low flying plane which you come across.

[jammy_basturd]

Depends what is meant be horizontally.

If horizontal is parallel to the horizon, then no. If horizontal is direction of travel completely straight in one vector (ie, not an arc), then with the right vehicle, yes.

I also think you're on crack.

[skilly1]

comedy dave said:

It's meant to say space but maybe the title was too long.
So, if you were in a plan & you went vertically up say 1.5 miles, then flew horizontally you WOULD eventually end up in space?

Could be wrong - but doesn't horizontal relate to earth? There is no horizontal in space. So you would just keep going around the earth.