Tsentsan From Singapore, joined Jan 2002, 2016 posts, RR: 16 Posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1455 times:
Hi guys,
It's been rumoured (or rather stated) that the first QF A330-200 will do a special world record flight from Toulouse to Sydney non-stop.. Just wondering if an A330-200 is able to do this or issit simply stretching the limit?
B20XX From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 39 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1323 times:
TLS-SYD (10,691 mi) seems to be a bit much even with zero payload, but it may be feasible. However it would not set a record, the current world record for a commercial airliner is 12,455 miles, set by a B777-200ER flying SEA-KUL eastbound.
Mr.BA From Singapore, joined Sep 2000, 3423 posts, RR: 23 Reply 11, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1183 times:
I doubt Qantas will install extra fuel tanks on the A332 just for this flight. The map everyone shows the path curved. What about going straight all the way?
VirginFlyer From New Zealand, joined Sep 2000, 4502 posts, RR: 49 Reply 12, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1176 times:
Mr.BA - The map is actually showing the shortest distance - it is going straight all the way. Remember, the Earth is pretty much spherical (not perfectly, of course). A rectangular map distorts the proportions of this sphere, and consequently what is really a straight line looks curved. Conversely, a straight line on a rectangular map would be a curved path in reality. If you don't believe me, find a globe, get a piece of string, and connect the two points on the map with the least possible string (i.e. pull tight). You will see the path of the string pretty much replicates that shown on the map.
Hope this helps
V/F
"So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth." - Bahá'u'lláh
Cointyro From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 62 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1170 times:
To answer the "go straight all the way" comment - you have to remember that maps (as displayed above) are already greatly distored with regard to size - especially towards the north and south poles. You have to distort a map that purports to show the entire globe in a rectangle. Thus, the shortest distance between two points on the 3-dimensional globe is a "straight" line (of course, curving around the curvature of the earth) - but this same route appears curved when mapped to a distorted map such as the rectangular examples above.
More on this phemenon at the Great Circle Route Mapper at http://gc.kls2.com. According to the FAQ section at http://gc.kls2.com/faq.html#$misc, "What is a great circle path?
A great circle path is the shortest path on the surface of a sphere between two points on that sphere. Technically, the term geodesic path should be used in this page since Earth is not a true sphere, but the great circle terminology is common usage. "
QatarAirways From Qatar, joined Sep 2008, 0 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 8 hours ago) and read 1119 times:
From the map showing the Great Circle route it looks that if the A330-200 ever does this it will have Tail winds on its side. Also can't extra fuel tanks be place in the main deck in place of some Y seats. I know that these main-deck auxiliry fuel tanks can be installed/removed easily and the Y-seats won't take much time to re-install.
Also, does the A330-200 have the same fuel system as the A319CJ?. If it does than extra fuel tanks which look like cargo containers can be installed in the cargo deck and then removed when the aircraft arrives in SYD.
Aio86 From United States of America, joined Sep 2000, 928 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 1096 times:
When Air Mauritius had its 767-200s delivered, they flew a route of SEA-Newfoundland-Mauritius. Newfoundland to Mauritius is a very long journey, it set a record for the 762, but I'm not sure about in general. What is the point of risking a brand new airplane, or wasting money on adding extra fuel tanks, if the plane can easily make an hour stop in hundreds of locations along the way. Are they really trying to prove they can do it, or is that just an assumption we made here? Remember, this is the same Qantas that had its employees pull by hand a 747 to set a world record, hmmm...
Tsentsan From Singapore, joined Jan 2002, 2016 posts, RR: 16 Reply 19, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1063 times:
There was once on an episode of Guiness Records on TV, that 1 person had pulled a QF B747-438 Wunala Dreaming using his own body strength over some distance (not sure if it was his teeth or not)....
Mexicana757 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 2961 posts, RR: 30 Reply 20, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1044 times:
hmmm they might deliver that A330 like boeing did with the 717s to Hawaiian Air. Maybe.
Skystar From Australia, joined Jan 2000, 1363 posts, RR: 3 Reply 21, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 1033 times:
I would say it is possible under the right conditions.
Remember, the distance will most likely be less than 9000odd nautical miles, as the wind will be from behind the aircraft, generally speaking. Notice how SIN-Europe is generally an hour or so longer than Europe-SIN?
Myself From Belgium, joined Feb 2001, 207 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (11 years 2 weeks 4 days ago) and read 952 times:
Very correct about the ground and air distance :
Ground Distance can be 9.200 nm, but if flying with an average tail wind component you might end up with an air distance that is well below the max range (respecting minimum reserve fuel requirements).
An in-flight reclearance near the end of the flight might also help a bit.
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