Whats your longest flight ?
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As a previous poster (DW) mentioned, Farnborough 1960, Shackleton MR3 flew as last item one day to appear as first item the next day!
7.9.60 to 8.9.60- 22Hrs
Also, same month, 15.9.60 - 17h 10m - SAR
Egg banjos, pies were just a dream!
RV
7.9.60 to 8.9.60- 22Hrs
Also, same month, 15.9.60 - 17h 10m - SAR
Egg banjos, pies were just a dream!
RV
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14:45 in a Herc, No AAR but we were a tanker so had the tanks down the back. South Atlantic SAR in 1993. Not much left in reserve and no divs, unless you count Stanley.
Bahrain-Fairford,12:15, Apr 70 with Chris Haysom and Pete Milward. Did some longer days crew duty,but stopped off at Gan or Akrotiri en-route before going on to Bahrain or Changi.
Dec72 supposed to be doing Lyneham direct Bermuda with strict instructions not to lob into Gander because the Canadians didn't want ammunition for Belize going their way. At LPD for Gander it was obvious the winds were stonger than forecast and Bermuda was out of the question; div'd back to CYQX for fuel then on to Bermuda.14:50 airborne. None of that logging taxy time like the civvies!
Dec72 supposed to be doing Lyneham direct Bermuda with strict instructions not to lob into Gander because the Canadians didn't want ammunition for Belize going their way. At LPD for Gander it was obvious the winds were stonger than forecast and Bermuda was out of the question; div'd back to CYQX for fuel then on to Bermuda.14:50 airborne. None of that logging taxy time like the civvies!
A chum of mine, an old tanker AEO had been on Neptunes as a sergeant siggie. His proud boast was a 3 day trip, taking off at 2345 and landing at 0015 the day after next, a total of 24hrs 30 (2 crews on board). Never actually saw his logbook, mind, so he might have been shooting a line! Did 7 mins on a Victor once - captain need to get airborne for night currency and an approaching cu-nim put him off the idea of extending it to 45 mins circuit bashing as was the norm.
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3.5ish hours in a Puma, (helicopter) from Belize to Grand Cayman... 
As a civvie, on June 13th 2010 - Hong Kong direct to Detroit - 16 hours with a newly adopted daughter who simply refused to sleep for more than an hour at a time and really would have preferred to get off...
As a civvie, on June 13th 2010 - Hong Kong direct to Detroit - 16 hours with a newly adopted daughter who simply refused to sleep for more than an hour at a time and really would have preferred to get off...
"The INTRODUCER"
Most depressing moment, C-130 four hours out of Ascension, AAR rendezvous, fuel refuses to flow, break off and return to Ascension knowing we´re going to do the whole damn thing again the next day.
For me - 8.00 in a GR1, 27 Aug '91, Marham to Dhahran leading the return to the Middle East post-GW1 for Op Southern Watch. We didn't get any dispensation to over-run the engines. I'm amazed those F3 engines made it all the way.
I am aware of an RAF pilot who has done over 23 hours at the controls of a B2 (obviously with AR) and I also believe the record was in excess of 40 hours.
I am aware of an RAF pilot who has done over 23 hours at the controls of a B2 (obviously with AR) and I also believe the record was in excess of 40 hours.
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As an engineer, knowing that anything more than 20 minutes in a MB seat in any FJ I've sat in/worked on starts to get uncomfortable, some of these times are crazy! certainly earned your flying pay those days fellas!
The crews of the Vulcans and indeed their supporting Victors, used on the black buck raids must be up there time wise.
The crews of the Vulcans and indeed their supporting Victors, used on the black buck raids must be up there time wise.
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1971 - Herc - 14 hrs 25 mins Bahrain - Thorney Island via the Cento route. Had to ask London for direct Sandgate (ah the memories) to Thorney. APU did not not start as we taxied in! Couldn't see the face of the staff captain on shutdown (it went dark) who put the whole flight in jeopardy but he was a 'wheel' who couldn't be argued with. Anyway, good training as a stude planning in-flight diversions (topos everywhere) to Thessaloniki, Rome and CDG. V tired after the flight but 'I learnt about flying from that' - don't be stupid, even if you are a 'wheel'. 
1982 - Herc - 26 hrs 05 mins - ASI - ASI - 2 AAR brackets, 1 hour's loitering near the ships and RTB in the dark with no refuelling. Augmented crew but had other duties when not in the seat. Mine was to man the cupola to look out for the Argie 707 or anything else.
1982 - Herc - 26 hrs 05 mins - ASI - ASI - 2 AAR brackets, 1 hour's loitering near the ships and RTB in the dark with no refuelling. Augmented crew but had other duties when not in the seat. Mine was to man the cupola to look out for the Argie 707 or anything else.
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12.35 Tristar KC1 BZN - Albuquerque direct (No AAR but we had the underfloor tanks full)
10.20 C130 Mk 2 - SW approaches guesting on 'SNOOPY'
10.20 C130 Mk 2 - SW approaches guesting on 'SNOOPY'
Last edited by Motleycallsign; 16th Dec 2010 at 15:07.
Just had a look...
...back to the '60s at Ballykelly. High summer up in Bodo doing 13.10 and 13.15 on consecutive days. Back at BKY in November 14.10 op trng from 1800 until breakfast time the next day and the really scary bit was the pilot aimed bombing at 100ft from 0700 until 0745 and finishing off with a few circuits. Later that morning (I was in my scratcher) the staish came raging over to the squadron and demanded of the boss WTF he thought he was doing putting crews through this routine just to push a chinagraph line up the wall. After he had departed the boss assembled the troops and said that "finally" he had "persuaded" the staish to stop this "mad hours scramble" so there would be no more 14hr trips. The walls were very thin in that building so everyone knew the true version of events.
I don't think they make squadron bosses like that anymore. Do they?? This guy was left over from the war and was as batty as a box of frogs.
The Ancient Mariner
I don't think they make squadron bosses like that anymore. Do they?? This guy was left over from the war and was as batty as a box of frogs.
The Ancient Mariner
16:45 in a Shack on 'Ops tasking' in the Indian Ocean, followed by three more sorties in 6 days totalling nearly 60 hrs in 7 days.
Chinook over 12 hours in two sorties in one day (Air India) - and no in flight catering!!
Chinook over 12 hours in two sorties in one day (Air India) - and no in flight catering!!
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Any claims on the most (nonstop) flying hours, taking off from BK and landing at Machrihanish? On a clear day you can see one from t'other.
I've done around 12 hours but no exact dates or logs to back it up although Ex Strong Gale rings a bell. Would have been between 1968 and 1971.
I've done around 12 hours but no exact dates or logs to back it up although Ex Strong Gale rings a bell. Would have been between 1968 and 1971.
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30 December 2002 - 14.50 in an E-3D over Afghanistan (including transits) when, depressingly, the replacement jet didn't turn up on time.
I think the all-time E-3D record for Op VERITAS was 17.50, with the average being around 13.15. [But these missions did include AAR and I'm not sure what the non-AAR record would be]
I think the all-time E-3D record for Op VERITAS was 17.50, with the average being around 13.15. [But these missions did include AAR and I'm not sure what the non-AAR record would be]
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I think the all-time E-3D record for Op VERITAS was 17.50, with the average being around 13.15. [But these missions did include AAR and I'm not sure what the non-AAR record would be]