How long does it take to fly around the world in a plane?

Question

I am writing a script in which a man continuously flies around the world in an airplane, stopping only to change pilots, get fuel, etc. But I'm not sure exactly how long it would realistically take to fly once around the globe. Anybody have an idea?

Answer 1

It depends on what type of plane you are flying in and what air routes you plan to take. The typical duration is usually 2 days to 4 days.

For instance, an F-16 could theoretically circumspect the world in slightly less than 78 hours. But that's only possible if all the refuellings are conducted as in-flight refuellings, via airborne tankers. With luck and some good currents around, it might shave 2 hrs or so off the total time needed. But then again, unless you can stay awake for 3 days without sleep, its damn near impossible to do that.

For a civilian airliner like a Boeing 747 or an Airbus, it would take around the same amount of time, largely due to the need to bring it down to an airstrip for refuelling. But because of its huge internal fuel capacity, it could remain airborne far longer than an F-16.

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To help you with your essay, I'm going to list the conditions required to accomplish this in a realistic manner:

1) Type of aircraft and its configuration
A civilian airliner jet (like those 2 mention earlier) typically have intercontinental ranges in excess of 3,000km. Also, they are capable of carrying huge quantities of internal fuel. Assuming you take a Boeing 747, removed all the seats in the passenger compartment and turn them, along with the cargo area into fuel storage, that range will be increased dramatically, from 3,000km to 7,000km.

Taking it further, by adding a refuelling receptor to the jet itself, similar to those used by the Air Force for its planes like the C-17 Globemaster III, the maximum range effectively becomes unlimited.

2) The human factor
Flight operations are no trivial task. While computers and automated intelligent system have made it easier for modern day pilots, the task of flying itself is still a tiring activity. Pilots need to maintain vigilance not only over the flight systems on the aircraft but also need to keep an eye out for weather conditions. Although the availability of long range radar and weather satellites have made detection of distance storms easier and earlier, its ultimately a human that takes actions to avoid it.

Maintaining wakefulness is a mentally exhausting affair, especially when is also an extremely dull affair, since an un-occupied mind is a bored mind, which translate into mental lethargy, which is also sleepiness. A human being usually loses his ability to react quickly after 12 hours of continuous flying. After 18 hours, that ability falls by 10% for every 2 hours after that.

3) Flight profile and weather conditions
The reason why airliner jets can sustain long range flights is because it cruises along at high altitudes. This is one of the aspects of aerodynamics, the higher you fly, the less fuel you burn, thus allow maximum milage per pound of fuel.

Air currents can aid and also hinders an aircraft's performance. With the proper air currents available (dependant on the time of the year and location), an aircraft's flight performance can increase by 5 - 17%.

The presence of storms obviously will either hinder the flight routes to be taken or might force the aircraft to take a less efficient and longer route to avoid the storm.

Answer 2

It very much depends on the plane. Most modern airliners fly at about .85 Mach, or about 550 mph. The circumference of the Earth is about 25,000 miles, so that right there gives you 45 hours, or about two days.

Long-range airliners can still only do about 12-14 hours without refueling.

If they don't fly a continuous great circle route, the distance will vary. If it's a smaller plane it may go slower. If it's a military jet, it may go faster.

I don't know how this fits with your script, but for civilian aircraft one circuit probably won't be less than 2 days one you add in the fuel stops.

Answer 3

As a pilot, I have flown around the world several times. However, you don't actually fly in a great circle course from and to every single place that you land at. Furthermore, you may do quite a bit of zig-zagging along the way which will all add time onto your trip.

Not too long ago I took off from the United States, went to Frankfurt, Germany to Kuwait, to Diego Garcia, to Guam, to Honolulu, and back to the United States. If you look at all of these various destinations you will see that they do quite a bit of zig zagging. If I remember correctly, the entire trip was about 54 hours of flying time; I don't have my logbook with me to verify this.

Answer 4

Depending on how fast the pilots fly, how often the plane refuels and whether or not you are flying with or against the wind, I am guessing 3-4 days maybe.

Answer 5

You have acquired requested no query. You've acquired most effective presented main points. The area among the planes is 350 miles. The gap among the planes is last at one hundred miles in line with hour given that of the difference of their speeds. 350 miles / one hundred miles in line with hour = three.five hours

Answer 6

A long damn time in a single engine prop plane.

Answer 7

Listen to Barry K, he knows what hes saying!!

Answer 8

I hope there will be commercials cause I'm gonna have to pee!