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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
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Who wants to stay on a plane for 23 hours? That alone raises questions about marketability.
Ever heard of Federal Express?
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I think that only pertains to swallows.
I think that only pertains to swallows.
African or European?
"At least on the MAC aircraft..."
1967. Sitting backwards in a C-141, Travis to Wake (fuel) to Pleiku City. About 18 hours total if I recall correctly. Much too long for me.
Oh, well African of course!
The big deal is that it is a twin engine aircraft that flew so long and so far. There are different flight rules for twin and four-engine aircraft, such as twins must stay within a certain distance, en route, to an emergency landing site should an engine fail. This is a push to qualify the cheaper to buy, and less costly to operate, twins to fly the four engine routes.
Poor writing; yes, it landed on time.
All that remains is certification by Guiness, I guess.
The Boeing 777-200LR (longer range) Worldliner jet lands at Heathrow airport in London after setting an endurance record for a non-stop commercial flight November 10, 2005. The aircraft with 35 passengers and crew flew more than half way around the world, covering 11,664 nautical miles (21,601 km) taking 22 hours and 42 minutes, Boeing said. REUTERS/Paul Hackett
A Boeing 777-200LR (longer range) Worldliner jet taxis at Heathrow airport in London after setting an endurance record for a non-stop commercial flight, November 10, 2005. The aircraft with 35 passengers and crew flew more than half way around the world, covering 11,664 nautical miles (21,601 km) taking 22 hours and 42 minutes, Boeing said. REUTERS/Paul Hackett
A Boeing 777-200LR (longer range) Worldliner jet taxis at Heathrow airport in London after setting an endurance record for a non-stop commercial flight November 10, 2005. The aircraft with 35 passengers and crew flew more than half way around the world, covering 11,664 nautical miles (21,601 km) taking 22 hours and 42 minutes, Boeing said. REUTERS/Paul Hackett
In this photo released by Boeing, passengers pose in front of a Boeing 777-200LR before taking off at the Hong Kong airport Wed. Nov. 9, 2005. Boeing attempts to break a world record Wednesday by flying its new long-distance 777-200LR plane non-stop from Hong Kong east to London, farther than any previous commercial jet. (AP Photo/Boeing, HO)
I think I was on the worlds longest flight going to Korea once ...
There was nothing about this flight that qualifies it as a daredevil stunt; it was a calculated demonstration of the plane's long range capability.
For a single pilot to make such an attempt would be considered a daredevil act.
You can even go back in time....a couple of years ago I left Perth, West Australia at 11:45pm Wednesday, flew east to Sydney and spent Thursday morning in the airport until close to noon.
Took off for Honolulu (9 hour flight) that late Thursday morning and slowly went back in time. Landed Hono at 11:00 pm Wednesday, theoretically before I'd left Perth.
It's standard for long-haul Trans-Pacific flights to carry two pilot crews.
What happened to the other 13 passengers? Hmmmmmm Lost?
Better tip for 10+ hour flights....
Get a First Class sleeper seat ;-)
I wonder if they had legal IFR reserves.
Now that makes more sense of things!
Thanks very much...
I hear you.
I don't care what company I'm working for at the time. If they want to put me on a plane for a flight longer than 5 hours, I demand business class or tell them to send someone else.
They have always ended up giving me business class.
I loved my lufthasa flight from Vancouver BC to Frankfurt a few years ago in business class. All the hot german stewardesses where working in the first class and business sections. They had the hags working in coach.
Coach was filled with pakistanis and stunk to high heaven from all BO. Once and a while I got up to strech my legs and took a walk from the front to the back of the plane. Once I walked through the curtin between business class and coach, I full expected to see goats walking around and people grilling meat in the aisles. I can't imagine what one of those Airbus A380's will smell like on some 10 hour flight from some 3rd world county packed with 700 unwashed people.
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