Are you aware of any aviation world records? We'll take a closer look at our top 10 aviation-related Guinness World Record flights and examine them!
10. The longest non-stop commercial flight in the world
Singapore Airlines is currently operating the longest commercial scheduled flight in the world.
The 16,600km journey, which was first inaugurated by A340-500 aircraft in 2004, was the first to be flown. The airline had to cancel its 18-hour flight due to rising fuel costs, inefficiency, and lack of profitability.
With the Airbus A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range), Singapore Airlines resumed service to New York in 2018. The nonstop service is currently operated as a Vaccinated Transport Lane between Singapore JFK and New York.
9. Airplanes with the longest airborne time
This will blow your mind if you thought the 18-hour nonstop Singapore Airlines flight was too long!
Modern airlines can only achieve this record with the help of innovative technology and fuel-efficient engines. As the image below shows, the title has been won by a Cessna C172. How did this happen?
It was 1985, and two pilots with great ambition were planning to do something extraordinary! Multiple days of flying a Cessna C172 without ever landing was possible! Bob Timm and John Cook, pilots, modified their Cessna C172 by adding a fuel tank of 95 gallons, a bed, and a sink. They set out on their amazing journey of 64 days, 22h and 19mins.
Low-level flying near a fuel truck made it possible to fly around California and Nevada. The truck's hose was then used to lift the plane up. The plane finally landed on the ground two months later, and a Guinness world-record was established!
The Cessna that was used in that flight is still hanging from McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas. Imagine being trapped on an airplane for so many hours.
Photo by WikiMedia Commons/Mr. Satterly
8. Air Transports the Largest Ever Volume
Although many of us didn't travel much in 2020, the Antonov An-225 flew a lot and set another world record. It carried 150 metric tons cargo from China to Paris, France.
Some of the cargo included gloves, medical masks and other protective clothing. Ground staff took more than 10 hours just to unload the cargo, according to reports.
7. World's First Fully Vaccinated Flying
Qatar Airways conducted the first COVID-19-vaccinated flight out of Doha on the 6th April 2021. The flight QR6421 was operated by an A350 1000 with registration A7–ANF and carried 144 passengers and 18 crew.
I was invited to participate in this flight. Our flight took us from Hamad International Airport at 11.45 AM. It took 3 hours and 15 mins. We flew over Oman, UAE, and the Persian Gulf.
6. The majority of nationalities are allowed to board a flight
Emirates flew a historic A380 flight on 29 November 2019, marking the 48th UAE National Day. It also marked the UAE Year of Tolerance. Emirates flight EK2019 brought together 145 nationalities, more than 500 passengers, and a wide range of cultures to create history.
The Year of Tolerance special A380 livery was used on the EK2019 flight. Registration of the aircraft was A6–EVB. A 2 class A380 with 615 passengers capacity was registered.
It welcomed people from all backgrounds, religions, and cultures. The flight was designed to encourage passengers to wear their national costumes. Throughout the flight, colourful collages of their colorful costumes were created to celebrate their diverse heritages and traditions.
5. Worlds Shortest Commercial Flight
Congratulations if you can hold your breath for more than 53 seconds, then you've just completed the longest flight in history!
We travel to Orkney Island in Scotland where Loganair offers daily flights between Westray and Papa Westray.
A Britten-Norman BN2B-226 Islander is flying the 2.7-kilometre flight.
4. The longest domestic flight
Ladies and gentlemen, we are delighted to welcome you aboard the Air France flight from Paris To Re-Union. Air France has the longest domestic flight in the world, with an average flight time 10 hours 30 minutes. It flies from mainland Europe to Re-Union on the tropical island. This flight is usually flown by a Boeing 747. Passengers on the flight do not need to carry an ID card as they are technically never allowed to leave the country. What would it feel to fly for over 10 hours and then return to the country you left?
3. Worlds Largest Aircraft
Many believe the Antonov AN-225 to be the largest plane in the world. This is incorrect. Stratolaunch is the world's largest aircraft, measuring 73m in length, 15m high, and 117m wide. It is intended to launch and carry rockets up to 35,000 feet in altitude.
Clem Tillier via Wikimedia Commons
2. The World's Longest Passenger Flight.
Qantas set not one, but two world records on their flight from London to Sydney on November 13, 2019. Qantas Flight GF789 (aka Project Sunrise) was in flight for 19 hours, 19 minutes, and covered a total of 17,800 kilometres.
This was a one-off flight that was done to study how the human body would react to long flights.
1. The majority of passengers aboard an aircraft
1088 people were evacuated from Ethiopia to Israel by El Al Boeing 747 on the 24th May 1991. Operation Salomon, codenamed, was a flight that served as an evacuation flight. It landed in Israel with two additional passengers and two babies.
This flight was made by a Boeing 747-200, which had a maximum passenger capacity of 480. This queen of the skies was packed with over 1000 people. A world record was set for the largest number of passengers aboard an aircraft.
Are there any Guinness World records for commercial flights that you are aware of? You can leave a comment to tell me about it!
