Wednesday, November 16, 2005

PIA creates world commercial aviation history

Pakistan Inter-national Airlines (PIA) has created world commercial aviation history by flying newly-manufactured Boeing 777 LR (Long Range)-- the first airline in the world to fly it from Hong Kong to Heathrow -- the wrong way around the globe.

According to a press release on Thursday, flying from Hong Kong it went overhead Japan, then across the Pacific Ocean flying over Hawaii to overhead San Francisco, then onwards across North American continent to overhead New York, flying still farther across the Atlantic Ocean to land at Heathrow Airport, London, non-stop and in one giant leap lasting slightly less than 24 hours.

The trip which broke 18 minutes flight time record of Airbus 340 and also Boeing's 747-400's record from London to Sydney, flew 12,600 miles or more than half circumference of the globe.

Flying at 83 Mach or 17 Mach less than the speed of sound, the 35 persons onboard, including eight cockpit crew members, witnessed two sunrises and even had scheduled sleep timings in the bunkers onboard. Among five Boeing pilots were Capt Susana Darcy, Boeing 777 Test Pilot and Capt Frank Santoni, representing the Boeing Company.

Along with five Boeing pilots, Commander Asif Reza, senior vice president flight operations PIA, was in command and assisted by Captain Mohammed Ilyas Malik, designated as check pilot Boeing 777 in PIA, to fly the aircraft as Boeing's "Launch Customer", pending delivery of this very first plane to PIA, registered in Pakistan AP-BGY.

A Singapore Airline pilot was also on board, as the Singapore Airline is evaluating buying this airplane after PIA.

The event was reminiscent of another such record breaking flight by PIA nearly four decades earlier, when commander Abdullah Baig, the most famous pilot of PIA flying newly manufactured Boeing 720, eased into a jet stream during cruise with consummate skill to break the London-Karachi flight time record. staff report.

Source: Daily Times Newspaper

6 comments:

Dak-Ind said...

thats pretty sweet, long long trip. wonder why they would want to go the long way around? senic route perhaps? BTW, welcome to my blogroll!

Anonymous said...

Wow!man thanks for informing me about all this stuff.I really didn't know all this,and appreciate PAK INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE (PIA).

Meadow said...

"Susana?"

I was just having a conversation the other day about I've never seen a female commercial airline pilot.

Thanks for the story!

Raheel Lakhani said...

mera PIA ghar aaya.. lolz

Hasan Mubarak said...

dak-ind: Actually they were wanting to break the world record for longest flight... And they did it by flying non-stop from Hong Kong to London Heathrow.

Thanks for adding!

anonymous: you are always welcome.

goddess: Pakistan International Airlines, itself, has some female commercial pilots. That's not a big deal any more.

raheel: it would be better to sing;
"mere PIA gaye Pardes
badal ke aayenge Bhees"

Raheel Lakhani said...

lolz.. maine suna tha beech mein PIA ke ek plane ka air travel karte huwe gate khul gaya tha.. oops!

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