Boeing jet attempts record commercial flight

[evangilder]

HONG KONG (AFP) - A Boeing 777 Worldliner jet took off from Hong Kong in a bid for the the longest-ever flight for a commercial jet, 23 hours to London flying east over North America.

The company, locked in a bitter battle with European rival Airbus for the lucrative long-haul aviation market, said a demonstration model of the new 777-200LR had headed east rather than the usual western route over Russia.

The journey, which began at 10:30pm (1430 GMT), is expected to last about 23 hours and cover more than 20,100 kilometres (12,500 miles), Boeing said.

"Boeing is set to make aviation history," Lars Andersen, vice president in charge of the 777 program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said before take-off.

"We are going to set a new long-distance, non-stop record for commercial planes."

The plane, powered by General Electric aircraft engines, took off with a full load of fuel and carrying 35 people, including airline executives, journalists and clients as well as crew members.

It is scheduled to land at London's Heathrow airport around 1330 GMT on Thursday.

The current record for a commercial jetliner flight was set in 1989 by a Boeing 747-400 that flew 17,000 kilometres non-stop from London to Sydney.

 

[Gnomey]

Intersting stuff Eric, I wonder how it will do? I reckon it will make it but if it had a full load of fuel, passengers and baggage it wouldn't, right?

 

[evangilder]

Who knows. Looks like a publicity stunt to me.

 

[Gnomey]

Who knows. Looks like a publicity stunt to me.

My thoughts exactly, so that they (Boeing) get more headlines than Airbus as the A380 goes through it's testing phases.

 

[evangilder]

Yep, one of those "Look, we are still here" deals.

 

[Gnomey]

Yep, one of those "Look, we are still here" deals.

Yes it looks like ones of those. Shows they feel threatened by Airbus though (and rightly so).

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hong Kong to London via North America! Talk about leg cramps!

 

[syscom3]

I've taken a non stop flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong. 15 and 3/4 hours in the air. That was almost too much for me.

Cool thing about is we had clearence to fly over the Kamchatka peninsula. Saw an active volcano spewing ash, and I saw a couple of old soviet airbases. They probably had been abandoned or inactive cause the snow on the runways were not plowed. saw plenty of reventments, as well as bunkers.

has anyone here flown in the old HK airport? That was exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gnomey]

I have, but I don't remember doing it. The new airport isn't bad either...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I did Atlanta to Capetown SA. I know it was well over 14 hours. I remained asleep or heavily intoxicated the whole flight!!!

 

[syscom3]

The old airport was where the jetliner had to execute a very sharp 90 degree turn about 1000 feet up to place itself inbetween two hi rise apartments, which were 500 feet away from each wing. If you were at the right altitude for landing, the apartments were above each wing.

It was close enough to see people in their apartments watching TV

 

[Gnomey]

Longest I have done is Heathrow to HK but I don't remember that. Of the ones I remember the 11 and half hours to Madagascar from Paris where bad enough, could do much longer than that, 23 hours would be hell. At least the passengers would have lots of space to put their feet up there only being 40 or so of them