Boeing will break its own record in the near future for longest distance in its weight class, already held by a 777 (check FAI if you are interested in specific record).
Flight will be approx 13,000 statute miles, >20 hrs, Asia-Europe the long way, over the Pacific, US, Atlantic non-stop. Design range for the 777-200LR is 9,420nm (about 10,800 statute mi.)
On board will be approx 80 people including Boeing execs and press. Will be covered in detail upon arrival.
The 777-200LR has "unbeatable range and performance" says Tim Clark, president of Emirates.
isn't it kind of dangerous to push it to this kind of limit? For example, an unexpected delay at the airport might force the 772LR to fly somewhere to land...
You've gotta know the limits of the airplane before you start giving it away to your customers. It's no more dangerous than when some airlines push their planes to their maximum range.
"What's this button do?? I don't know, push it and find out................."
I imagine there will be no luggage & with only 80 pax/crew on-board it will be nowhere near it's normal operational weights.
A Qantas Boeing 747-438 flew non-stop LHR to Sydney on a non-pax, delivery flight, it took something like 22 hours for the journey.
CX wrote:isn't it kind of dangerous to push it to this kind of limit? For example, an unexpected delay at the airport might force the 772LR to fly somewhere to land...
There is nothing more dangerous in such flights than in normal flights. The B777 will have an alternate airport as well on that special flight and will also have some fuel reserves for diversion etc...
Watch for media coverage next Thurs 10th on arrival. World longest flight in this weight class will make quite a statement. Congrats to Boeing too for breaking a record they themselves already hold. The 200LR is shaping up to be a remarkable airplane.
It is indeed a remarkable feat, but count me out of sitting in an aluminium tube for 22 hours, especially in economy (whether or not it is defined as super economoy, executive economy or any other colourful name). :shakehead:
Varig is indeed looking for more B777's, but aren't some of them already impounded ? They have a lot of financial problems and I thought that one of the lessors wanted the planes back. Wasn't it like that?
