Which flight is the longest? No landing for two nights and a day. Wear comfortable clothes

Every day, hundreds of flights take place around the world, carrying tens of thousands of passengers. Air travel take much less time than traveling by car or train. For example, it will take at least two weeks to cover the distance of the longest flight in the world by car.

The longest non-stop flight from Newark to Singapore is regularly operated by Airbus. Singapore Airlines Airlines. Depending on the weather conditions, the flight can take from 18 hours 40 minutes to 19 hours exactly. The Singaporean carrier first flew in 2004, and for more than 9 years passengers have been able to a short time

cross a distance of 15,345 km, which is almost equal to the length of the Eurasian continent from west to east.

The second longest non-stop flight is the Los Angeles - Singapore route. In just over 17 hours, the airbus covers 14 thousand celestial kilometers.


Regularly, 313 passengers (that's how many people can fit on board the plane) depart from the city of angels to get to the capital of ancient Chinese architecture, the city of butterflies and reptiles, 17 hours later.

In third place is the Boeing 777-200LR airliner flying from Johannesburg to Atlanta. For 16 hours and 35 minutes, the plane carries its passengers through the clouds covering the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The first such flight took place in 2009: everything went well, and the flight has since become regular. All travelers who are lucky enough to take this flight note the magnificent view of Johannesburg that opens up immediately after takeoff.

Some historical facts


Embrace the vast expanses of our country

The most long flight In Russia, a non-stop flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is recognized. The distance between these cities is 7 and a half thousand kilometers, modern aviation overcomes it in 8 hours.

The first flight on this route was made back in 1938. Pilots V.K. Kokkinaki and A.M. Bryandinsky spent more than a day in the sky to get to their destination. During this flight, the pilots managed to set a speed record in a small two-seater plane, and at the same time the whole world learned about the new shortest route from the Soviet capital to the shores Pacific Ocean. Both pilots, as a result, received the well-deserved titles of Heroes of the Soviet Union.


Not everyone can be a giant...

If during the longest flight passengers have to spend 17 hours in the sky, then the shortest flight takes only 4 minutes, two of which the car spends on starting the engine, taking off and braking.

The plane's route runs between two small Scottish islands, and the distance between them is only a few tens of meters longer than the length of the runway. It is worth noting that only three people work at the airport where the plane lands, and the entire population of the island is 70 people.

The ticket price includes compensation for the release of burnt fuel into the atmosphere. Upon landing, all passengers on this “mini” flight receive a document with a personal signature from the captain of the aircraft stating that they have made a contribution to the environmental fund.

There are other small flights in the world. For example, a Polynesian airline takes a plane into the sky for only five minutes, and a flight between the cities of Burlington and Rochester in America takes seven minutes.

Literally from the first moments after the birth of aviation, a race began that continues to this day for victory in speed, duration, range, flight altitude and carrying capacity. Among the first world record holders for the longest air travel was the famous Louis Blériot, who made a record flight across... the English Channel on July 25, 1909.

First records and record holders There are dozens of names on this list. Among them is the legendary American Charles Lindbergh, who crossed the Atlantic for the first time in May 1927 and Soviet pilot

The spirit of aerial competition has not faded into the 21st century. Today, world records in aviation are more of a routine thing, which, as a rule, is carried out by the world's leading air carriers. True, it is worth noting that the actual production of “record holders” - long-haul passenger aircraft, is exclusively the destiny of a few leading industrial powers possessing modern technologies.

Flying Marathon Club

Its undoubted leader is the Boeing company with its famous 747. Over the years of operation, since February 1969, 1,527 vehicles were produced in four modifications. The maximum flight range belongs to the Boeing 747-8 - more than 14,800 km.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is rightfully considered its “direct successor”. It began making regular commercial flights 6 years ago. During this time, the company sold 565 aircraft in three versions – 8, 9, 10. The longest “jump” was made by the Boeing 787-9 – 14,140 km.


The main competitor of the “American” is the European concern Airbus, a joint brainchild of France, Spain, Great Britain and Germany. In April 2005, serial production of the largest passenger aircraft began. Airbus airliner 380, capable of carrying (depending on the version) from 525 to 853 passengers over a range of over 15,000 km. Over 12 years, the company produced 213 cars.


Russia's participation in this prestigious club looks more than modest. The country is represented in the singular by IL-96. Since the start of operation in 1993, the Voronezh Aviation Plant has produced only 30 aircraft in three versions - 96-300, 96M/T and 96/400. The Russian range record belongs to the Il-96/400 - 12,800 km.

Who is further and longer

The main ultra-long-distance civil air routes connect Southeast Asia and North America. On average, their length is over 12 thousand km, and the travel time exceeds 15 hours.


Today, the longest airplane flights in the world take place during regular commercial flights. So the company's Boeing 777-200LR Qatar Airways On February 6 of this year, he covered a distance of 14,535 km along the Doha-Auckland route in 17 hours and 40 minutes.

But this is not the limit. Singapore Airlines is ready to offer a truly record-breaking flight from New York to Singapore on an Airbus A340. Its length will be 15.5 thousand km, which may take about 20 hours. In this case, passengers and crew will become participants in several world records at once. This will be the longest non-stop passenger flight without refueling.


The largest Russian air carriers are not among the world record holders for flight range. Today, the longest flight from Moscow is on the Moscow-Los Angeles route (Aeroflot company). Its length is 10,100 km, and the travel time is more than 12 hours.

Singapore Airlines from the beginning winter schedule launched the longest non-stop flight in the world from Singapore to New York - 18 hours 45 minutes.

For comparison: a flight from Moscow to New York or a direct flight from Moscow to Singapore lasts on average 10 hours. Now you can find a ticket on these routes for less than 30 thousand rubles. The cost of a direct flight from Singapore to New York exceeds a thousand dollars.

It is designed for wealthy businessmen who do not want to waste time on transfers and waiting on the way from one global business center to another. There are not even economy class seats in the cabin.

The flight is operated on a new type of aircraft, Airbus A350-900ULR. It allows for ultra-long flight. It has 67 business class seats and 94 premium economy class seats. Also on board are 15 crew members and two pilots, each of whom can rest for eight hours during the flight.

The cabin has high ceilings and large windows, which makes long-distance flights comfortable for passengers. Passenger seats in business class they transform into beds, meaning you can sleep comfortably.

There is wi-fi, which makes it possible to constantly be connected, and a usb socket. Passengers, like everyone else long-haul flights, a large film library is offered, with a total of 1200 hours of audio and video entertainment at their disposal.

The flight is designed for wealthy businessmen who do not want to waste time on transfers and waiting.

A business class ticket includes a multi-course menu with selectable serving times, as well as drinks. On the inaugural flight, business class passengers were treated to steamed lobster dumplings, fish fillets and deep-fried beef.

The plane covered a distance of 16.7 thousand kilometers, crossing 12 time zones. The passengers had two short nights and one short day. The plane flew through the airspace of Cambodia, Laos, China, Mongolia and Russia. The airline will operate this flight three times during the week from October 11 to October 18, and daily flights will begin on this route from October 18. This will happen after another A350-900ULR aircraft enters service. Tickets are already on sale.

The airline plans to launch more direct flights Singapore - Los Angeles on the same type of A350-900ULR aircraft. He can stay in the sky for 20 hours. They promise to announce the start of flights later. Experts highlight the growing demand for long-haul flights.

For Russia, an increase in the volume of transit flights means an increase in revenues - fees for flights by foreign companies in airspace and increasing the transit role in international civil aviation.

The flight is operated on a new type of aircraft, Airbus A350-900ULR. Photo: aeronautica.online

By the way, it was on October 11 that the Russian State Corporation for Air Traffic Management changed the structure of air traffic routes in the skies over Russia. The length of routes increased by 7 thousand 213 kilometers due to new routes. Within the boundaries of the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk air traffic management centers within the framework of proposals International Association air transport(IATA) has organized a zonal navigation route in the cross-polar direction with a length of 2,500 kilometers.

Help "RG"

This is not the first time Singapore Airlines has launched flights on the Singapore - New York route. Several years ago they were already on the airline’s list, but were suspended in 2013 due to expensive maintenance.

Non-stop flights are often considered more convenient by passengers - such travel takes less time, does not cause as many problems and is less tiring: you just need to board the plane at the departure airport, and after a few hours of restful sleep, reading books or watching movies, you will get off the plane in destination. Flying non-stop means traveling in comfort, and air carriers are ready to satisfy this desire of passengers even at the most long routes. Below is a list of the longest flights in aviation history, as well as the longest non-stop flights currently operated by airlines.

Which flight will be considered a long-haul flight?

  • during the execution of which not a single stop was made at intermediate points;
  • in which the distance covered exceeds 12 thousand kilometers;
  • whose duration is at least 15 hours.

This is usually the shortest possible route between two points in different parts of the world. The longest flights of all time are considered to be flights on transcontinental routes between Southeast Asia And North America. Now they are not performed so often without transfers, but record duration and distance traveled have been recorded.

The longest commercial flight ever operated by an airline is Singapore Airlines' Airbus A340-500 between New York and Singapore. The length of the route was more than 15.3 thousand kilometers, the flight duration was almost 19 hours. Moreover, this is the shortest flight in this direction: flight to reverse side, from Singapore to New York, lasted even longer - it took a different, transpolar route, and the distance covered was almost 1300 km longer. Non-stop flights from New York to Singapore were discontinued in the fall of 2013, as due to fuel costs they were not very profitable for the carrier, but this regular route is still considered the longest and longest of all time.

How long can a plane fly without refueling?

If we talk about records, we can find more impressive figures: in fact, the longest airplane flight in history was made 12 years ago. Then, in December 2005, on a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, a team of 8 pilots flew between Hong Kong and London, covering a distance of 21,602 km. This flight was not on standard route, the length of which is less than 10 thousand km, and another, which took 22 hours 40 minutes. But the flight was not commercial - instead of 301 passengers, which is how many the airliner is designed for, there were only 27 people in the cabin: mostly journalists, aircraft specialists and representatives of the Boeing Corporation.

And although today flights on these “record-breaking routes” are not operated, some world airlines offer their passengers very long non-stop flights, and there are quite a few ultra-long-distance destinations.

On this moment The longest regularly scheduled non-stop flight is between Qatar and New Zealand, operated by Qatar Airways. The length of the Doha-Auckland route is more than 14.5 thousand kilometers, flights are carried out on a Boeing 777-200LR - the same model aircraft that was used for the record Hong Kong-London flight. Passengers flying on this flight spend almost 18 hours in the air.

The second route in this ranking is also from the country Persian Gulf V New Zealand. The Dubai-Auckland flight, operated by Emirates, takes 17 hours 15 minutes according to schedule. During this time, the Airbus A380-800 aircraft covers a distance of 14.2 thousand kilometers. It is worth noting that Emirates is one of the world's largest airlines and is a leader in the number of ultra-long-haul routes served. From Dubai, non-stop flights are also operated to Los Angeles (13.4 thousand km, more than 16.5 hours in the air), Houston (13.14 thousand km, duration - 16 hours 20 minutes), San Francisco (13041 km, duration – 16 hours) and to several other remote locations.

Third place (and also third in the number of ultra-long-distance routes) is occupied by the Australian “flying kangaroo” airline Qantas. Its route "Sydney - Dallas", with a length of 13.8 thousand kilometers, is one of the longest among those currently used. The scheduled travel time is 15 hours 35 minutes, the flight is operated on an Airbus A380-800. Qantas also operates ultra-long-distance non-stop flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne, Los Angeles and Sydney (12.75 thousand km and 12.05 thousand km, respectively).

Singapore Airlines, after canceling its non-stop flight New York-Singapore, produces the following long flights only in San Francisco. The flight takes 16.5 hours, the length of the route is about 13.6 thousand km.

The fifth longest flight currently operated is Delta Air Lines' flight between Johannesburg (South Africa) and Atlanta (USA). According to the schedule, the flight lasts 16 hours 15 minutes, the length of the route is almost 13.6 thousand kilometers. Delta Air Lines also operates several more ultra-long-distance routes – the air carrier can be considered the second largest in the number of such destinations. On the planes of this airline (ultra-long-haul routes are operated on Boeing airliners 777-200LR) flights are made between Detroit and Hong Kong (12.6 thousand km), Dubai and Atlanta (12.2 thousand km), Los Angeles and Sydney (12.05 thousand km). The duration of such flights is from 15 hours to 15 hours 45 minutes.

Also, ultra-long-distance non-stop flights are operated by Continental Airlines, EVA Air, United Airlines, V Australia and several others. The most common names on ultra-long routes are cities in the USA (Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne), New Zealand (Auckland), China (Hong Kong), Canada (Toronto), Thailand (Bangkok) ) and the Gulf countries (Doha, Dubai).

There are no such flights to European cities, but fairly long flights are still operated from here.

For example, the longest flights operated from France are flights airlines Air France (and several foreign ones) on the route “Paris – Santiago de Chile”. The flight lasts more than 15 hours, the length of the route is almost 11.5 thousand km. By the way, it is the French who hold the record for flights across the country: the route from Paris to Reunion by plane is the longest domestic route in the world, about 9.8 thousand km (at the moment, flights are operated only with transfers).

Route Paris - Santiago

Alitalia flies from Rome to Buenos Aires. A flight on a Boeing 777-200ER lasts 14 hours, during which time the aircraft covers a distance of more than 11 thousand km.

Lufthansa also operates non-stop flights to Buenos Aires. Flight from German city Frankfurt am Main to the Argentine capital, with a duration of 13 hours 45 minutes, is the longest for this carrier.

Among Russian carriers, Aeroflot makes the longest non-stop flight. The scheduled flight from Moscow to Los Angeles takes almost 13 hours (12 hours 50 minutes). The length of the route is 9.7 thousand km, the flight is carried out on an Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

It is likely that in the future the number of such flights and ultra-long-distance routes will increase: among the possible destinations there are also very profitable ones, for example, the option of non-stop flights between London and Sydney. However, so far no airlines are planning to introduce routes longer than the New York-Singapore flight that set the bar. Most best airliner for such long-distance flights - Boeing 777-200LR, it is capable of covering a distance of 20 thousand kilometers or more, but only without a payload (passengers and cargo), which makes such flights useless for commercial airlines. After the introduction of the Airbus A350-900R XWB into operation, new routes appeared, but still the farthest of them is Doha - Auckland, almost 800 km less than the maximum recorded.

Video

Hooray. My old dream came true - to ride on the Singapore - New York flight. This is the longest flight in the world, and, probably, in the history of civil commercial transportation in general. It flies for 18-19 hours (depending on the wind at the flight level), without any landings at all, with one gas station, 16 thousand kilometers from point to point.

// Or rather, the longest one is its “sibling”, i.e. The return flight from New York to Singapore is 15 minutes longer, the wind blows like that up there :)

“De jure” the flight to New York is only 5 and a half hours: the plane departs at 12:30 in the afternoon and arrives at 18:00 in the evening of the same day. Yep, you guessed it right - departure is on Singapore time, and arrival is on Eastern American time. But it still sounds more optimistic than “eighteen hours in an iron can... with Singaporean flight attendants” :)

Well, on such an optimistic note, you can load yourself into this flying unit. This route is operated by specially adapted Airbus A340-500s. It takes only 100 passengers, there is no economy - all seats are business class only.

Well, here we go......

13:02 - acceleration.
13:03 - we are flying.

The plane accelerates and takes off slowly, heavily, and slowly. “A barrel with kerosene, a tail and wings,” I thought. This is true. According to Wikipedia, 220 thousand liters of kerosene are poured into this barrel. Probably half of the luggage compartment is a huge additional fuel tank.

220 thousand liters for 100 travelers plus crew - that’s almost 2 thousand liters for each snout!! Oh, it’s a little embarrassing to fly on this board, which spits out irreplaceable Natural resources... Well, what should we do? We need to fly...

It was precisely because of suboptimal fuel consumption and rising oil prices that Singaporeans decided to cancel this flight - the company stops flying on this route on November 23 of this year (2013), i.e. in about a week! Read more “Why the longest flights are saying So Long” in Bloomberg Businessweek on paper or.

We were lucky - in a few days this flight will be canceled forever, and we... And we! We made it to the very end of this fantastic air marathon. “Caught by the tail,” said my random travel companion T.T. (That’s him in the photo at the airport just above).

13:30 - we are still gaining altitude, we fly for half an hour - but we have only climbed 7 thousand. meters.
(here, above and further I indicate the time at the departure point).

Singapore and the northeastern United States are almost opposite each other in longitude, so it seems like flying - to the right of north pole through Japan-Kamchatka-Alaska or to the left of it, through Siberia, Scandinavia and Greenland. Or rather, on the contrary - in reverse order. NYC - Greenland - Northern Europe— rushed to the southeast...

By the way, Singapore Lines seem to be the only airline that covers the whole world in a circle. From them there are flights west to Houston (Singapore-Moscow-Houston) and east to New York. Oh how! The Malaysians also seem to be trying to catch up with them - I once saw a Malaysian board in Buenos Aires (!!)

14:05 - we’ve been flying for an hour, towards Japan and Kamchatka (hurray!). Another 17 hours to fly...

What to do all this time?? - anyone will be horrified normal person(a normally flying person... or rather, a normally non-flying person). The first thing is to get into the mail and process all the letters that have fallen on me over the past few days (“on the ground” I don’t have enough time to do this, I’m clearing out debris on airplanes). And then - bummer! The battery was low, and the sockets in my chair and the one next to me turned out to be non-functional! Figas Singapore Airlines, famous for its quality of passenger service... I had to run to recharge at the tail of the plane, where it turned out free place with a working socket (I was too lazy to change seats from my already heated seat) :)

15:10 - fed something tasty from Southeast Asia...

15:50 - we fly over Manila.

16:15 - the second battery in the laptop died (the first one was immediately half empty, that’s why it happened so quickly). I watched some Hollywood garbage with a stupid plot, idiotic texts, directorial mistakes, etc. I thought, if this is being filmed, does that mean some unfortunate people are watching it? On such a sad note, I started watching (and in some places just skipping) the second Hollywood drama :)

18:55 — we fly over Tokyo.

And then transfer to another flight, towards the American outback... Until the next reports, everyone!

 

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