- News
- Jul 3, 2024
- 2 min read
Learjet Circumnavigation Recognized as World Record
The round-the-world flight completed by a Learjet 36A in April was certified by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) as a new world record.
The round-the-world flight completed by a Learjet 36A in April of this year was certified by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) as a new world record. The flight, which departed Wichita on April 3, was conceived as a fundraiser to support the restoration and possible return of the first production Learjet (23-003).
With pilots Bart Gray, John Bown, Kirby Ezell and Joshua Podlich, as well as observer Joel Weber, aboard Global Jet Care’s Learjet 36A, the team set a new westbound speed record in the C-1f category (landplanes with a takeoff weight of 6,000 to 9,000 kg) of 341 miles per hour, and the aircraft returned to Wichita after 67 hours and 11 refueling stops. It is expected to be ratified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the governing body for aviation records.
The flight also marked the 100th anniversary of the first global aerial circumnavigation, carried out by a group of U.S. Army pilots in modified Douglas DT-2 torpedo bombers known as World Cruisers. The 2 surviving aircraft completed the 1924 flight in 175 days, covering more than 27,500 miles.
The round-the-world flight completed by a Learjet 36A in April of this year was certified by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) as a new world record. The flight, which departed Wichita on April 3, was conceived as a fundraiser to support the restoration and possible return of the first production Learjet (23-003).
With pilots Bart Gray, John Bown, Kirby Ezell and Joshua Podlich, as well as observer Joel Weber, aboard Global Jet Care’s Learjet 36A, the team set a new westbound speed record in the C-1f category (landplanes with a takeoff weight of 6,000 to 9,000 kg) of 341 miles per hour, and the aircraft returned to Wichita after 67 hours and 11 refueling stops. It is expected to be ratified by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the governing body for aviation records.
The flight also marked the 100th anniversary of the first global aerial circumnavigation, carried out by a group of U.S. Army pilots in modified Douglas DT-2 torpedo bombers known as World Cruisers. The 2 surviving aircraft completed the 1924 flight in 175 days, covering more than 27,500 miles.
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