A Challenging Endurance Problem
Suppose I'm flying a Boeing 777-200ER (Trent 892), and am already at 500KTAS and 35,000ft. I weigh 217,800kg, of which 43,800kg is fuel.
Suppose my one and only goal is to stay in the air as long as possible. My only constraint: I must select a single speed (as fast or slow as I please) and altitude (as high or low as I please), head to it ASAP, and stay with it until flameout.
At what speed (in KTAS) and altitude (in ft) should I fly, and why?
Prize goes to whoever not only provides the answer, but PROVES how all OTHER combinations of speed & altitude MUST burn more fuel per hour.
Huge thanks to whoever tries to tackle this.