Posted on 11/10/2005 7:25:29 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
LONDON - A Boeing Co. jet arrived in London on Thursday at the end of an attempt to break the record for the longest nonstop flight by a commercial jet.
The 777-200LR Worldliner - one of Boeing's newest planes - touched down shortly after 1 p.m. (8 a.m. EST) at London's Heathrow Airport after an almost 23-hour journey of more than 12,586 miles from Hong Kong.
The flight traversed the Pacific Ocean and North America before landing in London.
Boeing said that Guinness World Records representatives would monitor the flight and attend the landing at London's Heathrow Airport.
The plane has four pilots and was carrying 35 passengers and crew, including Boeing representatives, journalists and customers.
Boeing wanted to fly the jet farther than a Boeing 747-400 that flew 10,500 miles from London to Sydney in 1989.
The record-breaking attempt is part of Boeing's fierce competition with its European rival Airbus. The Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner was designed to compete directly with the popular Airbus 340-500, which has a flight range of 10,380 miles.
After leaving Hong Kong, the Boeing jet was flying to the northern Pacific Ocean, crossing North America and cruising over the Atlantic Ocean to London, said Boeing spokesman Chuck Cadena. Hong Kong-London flights usually fly over Russia.
ON THE NET
The plane's flight path can be tracked at http://www.777.newairplane.com
I don't get it. Did the attempt succeed? Since the plane touched down, presumeably it did.
I would like to be the first and say Woo-Hoo! (15 years here next Jan)
an interesting record, for sure, but is this the kind of thing we should be encouraging? i'd hate for the next daredevil pilot to try and beat this record and...fail...
I had the same question, from the website, it looks like they did in fact, succeed. I think what they are waiting for is the final certification by Guiness that it is a worlds record.
Guess they can't say they have broke the record till Guinness World Records representatives say they have.
23 hours is a long time to be stuck next to a bratty kid.......
Sorry 23 hrs in a plane, I think I would go postal, especially the way they sardine the seats in...
Twenty three hours is also a long time to be stuch in Coach!
Uggggg. A 23 hour flight, what hell that would be.
My longest was a 13 hour (United)to Hong kong from San Fran and it was the longest, filthiest flight I have ever taken. The restrooms were abominable.
Imagine 23 hours in one of those double decker Airbus monsters.
Tip for anyone traveling on a 10+ hour flight. Get a TV series DVD set like '24', watch 2 episodes, get up and walk the length of the plane and back. Watch 2 more, repeat. The flight will go quickly, and you wont die from a blood clot after sitting so long.
Took off, flew past Labrador, turned around due to an oil pressure gauge, landed at Philly (5 hrs), changed flight crews.. with the exiting lead flight attendant saying.. "We already fed them so don't take on more food...", sat on the tarmac while they replaced the gauge (2 hrs), then laboriously took off and flew to Shipol (8 hrs).
When we arrived it was six hours after our scheduled arrival and the heads were unusable, there was no water, and life was not good.
Fifteen hours...CHI to Japan/Narita...
Was that plane 'laden or unladen'????
G
Yeah, did they use the CENTER fuel tank? Plus a little assist from the Jet Stream I expect...
I once spent 22 of 24 hours in the air from Saudi Arabia to the west coast of the US.
That was extremely difficult, because I spent most of it on military crew (netted) seats, and I can't sleep while sitting.
My longest flight was from somewhere in Alaska to Okinawa. I don't know how long the flight was. I was 19, in the Navy, it was Flying Tiger airlines, the food was good, the booze was free, the stewardesses were cute, and the flight was pretty much a blur. It was a bit of a party, actually. Did I mention that the booze was free? (I really loved Flying Tiger airlines).
At least on the MAC aircraft there is legroom, or cargo room if on the jump seats... just don't forget yer woolies.
You can't? I found that if you lay your head on your reserve, prop your rifle case against your leg, and close your eyes, it is possible to sleep for eight of the ten minutes before you jump out of the airplane.
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