Boeing jet breaks nonstop-flight record

[neufuse Veteran]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/...1110&ID=5270350

LONDON (AP) - A Boeing Co. jet arrived in London from Hong Kong on Thursday, breaking 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 a journey of more than 13,422 miles. The previous record was set when a Boeing 747-400 flew 10,500 miles from London to Sydney in 1989.

A representative of Guinness World Records, which monitored the flight, presented Boeing's Lars Andersen with a certificate confirming it was for the longest nonstop commercial flight.

Captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann, was at the controls when the plane left Hong Kong, said the trip east across the Pacific had been bumpy.

"But we had a great ride across the United States ... and across the Atlantic we saw our second sunrise of the trip," she said.

The jet spent 22 hours and 43 minutes in the air.

Andersen said the Hong Kong-to-London flight showed the future of air travel.

"With the 777-200LR, we are changing the world," he said. "Passengers can fly commercially between just about any two cities nonstop."

The plane had eight pilots and was carrying an additional 27 passengers and crew, including Boeing representatives, journalists and customers.

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.

Boeing said that after leaving Hong Kong, the jet flew across the northern Pacific Ocean before reaching North America, where it flew over Los Angeles, then slightly south of Chicago and over New York before cruising over the Atlantic Ocean to London. 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

[Borbus]

Wow, that is a long time in the air. I wonder what difference it will make when the plane is fully laden.

[robertobaggio2k]

wow 23 hours on a plane thats a killer i cant even stand 9 hours (toronto-rome) it drives me nuts....imagine 23 :s

[98XT]

Not as good for passengers, but being in the aviation industry; excellent. :D

[ventrox]

wow

really amazing

[Crazysah]

Yep! Its awsome!

[drshdw]

wow 23 hours on a plane thats a killer i cant even stand 9 hours (toronto-rome) it drives me nuts....imagine 23 :s

586796200[/snapback]

I'd rather do that than change planes.

[Gazza12]

Not as good for passengers, but being in the aviation industry; excellent. :D

586796223[/snapback]

Could be good for business people. Rather than having to switch at several airports just the one flight all the way.

[SaLiVa]

It does pose a health risk flying that long. I myself wouldn't want to develop a blood clot in my leg artery... If they removed the seats and allowed us to walk, then I'd be satisfied. Only problem is safety will be near non-existant.

[Max Veteran]

It does pose a health risk flying that long. I myself wouldn't want to develop a blood clot in my leg artery... If they removed the seats and allowed us to walk, then I'd be satisfied. Only problem is safety will be near non-existant.

586796305[/snapback]

Planes that run for that long are usually big. Bigger than your usual few hours of flight to Spain or wherever you are. There is plenty of room to walk around the back of the aeroplane (well there was on my 6 hour Virgin Atlantic flight to NY).

[MoodIndigo]

Go Boeing, I have been on one of their new 777 models they are really quite nice, but it was only a 2 hour flight for me.

I can't stand 9 hours, Tokyo to Auckland, but 23 hours is a killer; unless your flying first class. :)

XinanZhang

[SamNeeds]

20+ hours? No thank you! I can't stand flying for a long time - i get too bored!

[tiagosilva29]

Add a pool, a gym and a big super computer LAN to that plane and it's all good. :whistle:

[pixated]

Add a pool, a gym and a big super computer LAN to that plane and it's all good.  :whistle:

586797012[/snapback]

That would be wicked. :rofl:

Anyway that's one long flight. I'd sleep a lot. :sleep: :happy:

[jimbo12141]

wow thats amazing!

[Fedorpheux]

It does pose a health risk flying that long. I myself wouldn't want to develop a blood clot in my leg artery... If they removed the seats and allowed us to walk, then I'd be satisfied. Only problem is safety will be near non-existant.

586796305[/snapback]

I would think that in that kind of medical emergency, there would be an emergency landing, just like other passenger jets do. Just because it's scheduled to fly 10 zillion miles without stopping doesn't mean that it won't do an emergency landing for a heart attack or something like that.

As for over the ocean, where it would obviously be a tad difficult to make an emergency landing near a hospital, this plane is not adding any more risk than planes that have been flying across the oceans for decades.

[Premgenius]

Excellent

[Von_Beard]

:o humans are amazing ....they can create amazing objects

[Fred Derf Veteran]

[Thread Moved from BPN to NFN]

[Nexus]

Holy Cr*p, thats a long time in the air, almost a whole day being trapped on a plane. Talk about serious jet lag when its over.

[y0sh]

I would think that in that kind of medical emergency, there would be an emergency landing, just like other passenger jets do. Just because it's scheduled to fly 10 zillion miles without stopping doesn't mean that it won't do an emergency landing for a heart attack or something like that.

As for over the ocean, where it would obviously be a tad difficult to make an emergency landing near a hospital, this plane is not adding any more risk than planes that have been flying across the oceans for decades.

586797050[/snapback]

I take it you don't often read the News?

There is a high risk of developing blood clots when sitting still for a long period of time. It is something that has become increasingly frequent and airlines have taken notice. Ever wondered why airlines allow you (and some encourage you) to walk around. Most airlines give you directions of exercises you can do while sitting down.

[SaLiVa]

I would think that in that kind of medical emergency, there would be an emergency landing, just like other passenger jets do. Just because it's scheduled to fly 10 zillion miles without stopping doesn't mean that it won't do an emergency landing for a heart attack or something like that.

As for over the ocean, where it would obviously be a tad difficult to make an emergency landing near a hospital, this plane is not adding any more risk than planes that have been flying across the oceans for decades.

586797050[/snapback]

The problem with that though is that when you do get the heart-attack or stroke, it could very well happen during your sleep. If it isn't detected, then no emergency landing. There are steps to preventing the blood clot thing, I think it was called the Economy Class syndrome or something... Not too sure. I find it just uncomfortable in a normal 7 hour flight from Singapore to Dubai, I dont think I could ever imagine going through a 22 Hour flight from China to Cuba.

[Fedorpheux]

I take it you don't often read the News?

586797177[/snapback]

Umm, when did this discussion get lowered to personal insults? :huh:

There is a high risk of developing blood clots when sitting still for a long period of time. It is something that has become increasingly frequent and airlines have taken notice. Ever wondered why airlines allow you (and some encourage you) to walk around. Most airlines give you directions of exercises you can do while sitting down.

586797177[/snapback]

Believe it or not, I am actually fully aware of blood clots and how sitting down for long periods of time can bring them on. I never said sitting down for this long is good for your health or anything, I'm just saying that planes will make emergency landings when there is a medical emergency.

The problem with that though is that when you do get the heart-attack or stroke, it could very well happen during your sleep. If it isn't detected, then no emergency landing. There are steps to preventing the blood clot thing, I think it was called the Economy Class syndrome or something... Not too sure. I find it just uncomfortable in a normal 7 hour flight from Singapore to Dubai, I dont think I could ever imagine going through a 22 Hour flight from China to Cuba.

586797186[/snapback]

That's a good point and I fully admit that I actually did not think of that. I would like think that when passengers are in such close quarters with each other, somebody next to you might realize if you start breathing heavily or stop breathing altogether while you're sleeping. Still, you have a good point.