With record flight, Boeing jet puts the 'long' in long-haul
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LONDON : A Boeing 777 plane has broken the world record for the longest flight by a commercial jet when it landed at London's Heathrow airport on a flight from Hong Kong via the Pacific.
Piloted by American captain Suzanna Darcy-Hennemann, the Worldliner jet touched down in west London following a 12,000-mile (20,100 kilometers) easterly-heading flight from Hong Kong, Boeing said Thursday.
The flight lasted 22 hours and 45 minutes after touching down at 1315 GMT, 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
The plane, carrying 35 passengers, beat the existing non-stop passenger airline record of 10,823 miles achieved by another Boeing airliner.
After taking off from Hong Kong yesterday, the plane flew over the northern Pacific and then over the northern part of the United States before crossing the Atlantic towards Heathrow.
Boeing, 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 plane, powered by General Electric aircraft engines, took off with a full load of fuel and carrying airline executives, journalists and paying clients as well as crew members.
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.
Boeing hurled a challenge at Airbus in February by rolling out its first 777-200LR, which it claims is the longest-range commercial aircraft in the world.
Lars Andersen, vice president in charge of the 777 program at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, has said that the Worldliner can connect any two cities.
It extends the range of the twin-engined 777 family by more than 2,750 kilometres and would allow non-stop service between New York and Singapore, Los Angeles and Dubai, or Australia and New York, he said.
The Worldliner will be able to carry 301 passengers and 17 tonnes of cargo up to 17,450 kilometers, the company said.
The first Worldliner is expected to go into service after being delivered to Pakistan International Airlines in January 2006.
Boeing said it has so far received orders or commitments for five planes, including from Qatar Airways and Air India. It expects the plane to draw more interest from Asia. - AFP /dt -
It would be very interesting to see when will SQ place an order for the 777LR.
If they ever will.
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maybe to replace their existing A345s?
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It could be possible to replace the existing A345 if SQ order 772LR, becoz' 772LR can carry more pax than A345~~Originally posted by SBS9828X:maybe to replace their existing A345s?
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dat means there wud be only 1 airbus species leftOriginally posted by billlmf:It could be possible to replace the existing A345 if SQ order 772LR, becoz' 772LR can carry more pax than A345~~
the A388s -
airbus double decker frenzy is shortlived...
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juz wondering... u prefer 744s or 388s?
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i dunoe which is which...Originally posted by SBS9828X:juz wondering... u prefer 744s or 388s?
i only noe the new double decker plane...a380 rite?
n jumbo 747...