# What's the longest anyone has ever been airborne (i.e., non spacecraft)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 26, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593 "2015-09-26T18:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/1 "2015-09-26T18:24:26Z")
Because the B2 Missouri-Baghdad-Missouri 3-day flight was brought up in a current thread on bombers (I actually don’t know the exact many hours the flights were), and another (re)current thread on “longest international air routes” are afoot, this spinoff: What is the longest time anyone has ever spent aloft? I presume it would be a military event with in-flight refueling, but perhaps some intrepid ballooners are in the running. Even the Cold War “24-hour” in-air commands must have to change crew. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/2 "2015-09-26T18:30:47Z")
[Nine days.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager) ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/3 "2015-09-26T18:35:15Z")
In 1986, two people flew around the world without refueling in just over 9 days. I think they still have the record. > **[Rutan Voyager](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager)** > > The Rutan Model 76 Voyager was the first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. It was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager. The flight took off from Edwards Air Force Base's 15,000 foot (4,600 m) runway in the Mojave Desert on December 14, 1986, and ended 9 days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds later on December 23, setting a flight endurance record. The aircraft flew westerly 26,366 statute miles (42,432 km; the FAI accredited distance is 40,212 km) at an average altitude Th... I remember them on The Tonight Show. Carson asked them if they threw their poop overboard. I think the answer was Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/4 "2015-09-26T18:44:23Z")
Breitling orbiter 3 was in flight for nearly 20 days > **[Breitling Orbiter](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breitling_Orbiter_3)** > > Breitling Orbiter was the name of three different Rozière balloons made by the Bristol based balloon manufacturer Cameron Balloons to circumnavigate the globe, named after the Swiss watchmakers Breitling. The third was successful in March 1999 of making the first nonstop flight around the world by balloon. It was piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. > Breitling Orbiter 3 was the first balloon to fly around the world non-stop, piloted by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones. Designed and built ... ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/5 "2015-09-26T18:49:53Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > [Nine days.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager) > > > [@Bayard](#): > > > > In 1986, two people flew around the world without refueling in just over 9 days. I think they still have the record. > > > > [Rutan Voyager - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager) > > > > I remember them on The Tonight Show. Carson asked them if they threw their poop overboard. I think the answer was Yes. (repost and gathering of links to make clear ‘nine days’ bare cite is to Rutan Voyager and save others a click.) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/6 "2015-09-26T19:03:51Z")
I mean no disrespect to the Dopers above but your answers are completely and laughably wrong (for this specific question at least). You should know the real answer off the top of your head because it is one of the strangest pieces of trivia there is. The longest endurance flight for any aircraft was made in 1958 by a Cessna 172 oddly enough. You think nine days is a long time? Pfft. Try almost 65 days constantly circling the Las Vegas area in a small plane. Robert Timm and John Cook few about 150,000 miles during that time and got fuel, food and other supplies by hauling it up by a rope from a chase car. It sounds too bizarre to be real but it is. The 50’s were a special time when it came to certain people’s dedication to setting pointless records. In this case, they did such an impressive job that it may never be beaten because who wants to be on a plane for more than 65 days straight? [http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2008/March/1/Endurance-Test-Circa-1958](http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2008/March/1/Endurance-Test-Circa-1958) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/7 "2015-09-26T19:29:45Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > In 1986, two people flew around the world without refueling in just over 9 days. I think they still have the record. > > [Rutan Voyager - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager) > > I remember them on The Tonight Show. Carson asked them if they threw their poop overboard. I think the answer was Yes. Not **the** record, but a record nonetheless. I’ve met Rutan on several occasions, and have signed pictures and stuff like that. Amazing feat. I’m going to have to wander out to McCarran one of these days to take a look at 72B. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/8 "2015-09-26T19:40:47Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I mean no disrespect to the Dopers above but your answers are completely and laughably wrong (for this specific question at least). You should know the real answer off the top of your head because it is one of the strangest pieces of trivia there is. > > The longest endurance flight for any aircraft was made in 1958 by a Cessna 172 oddly enough. You think nine days is a long time? Pfft. Try almost 65 days constantly circling the Las Vegas area in a small plane. Robert Timm and John Cook few about 150,000 miles during that time and got fuel, food and other supplies by hauling it up by a rope from a chase car. It sounds too bizarre to be real but it is. The 50’s were a special time when it came to certain people’s dedication to setting pointless records. In this case, they did such an impressive job that it may never be beaten because who wants to be on a plane for more than 65 days straight? > > [Endurance Test, Circa 1958 - AOPA](http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2008/March/1/Endurance-Test-Circa-1958) I came here to say the same thing more or less. Off the top of my head I believe they did in flight oil changes as well. Though one supposes they let the spark plugs slide. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/9 "2015-09-26T19:50:06Z")
Endurance flights are a popular form of competitive flying in some circles. I don’t know that any sailplanes have stayed up there anywhere near as long as some of the records mentioned above, but endurance competitions are a regular thing among the glider crowd. As the bumper sticker says, “Glider pilots keep it up longer.” ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-longest-anyone-has-ever-been-airborne-i-e-non-spacecraft/732593/10 "2015-09-26T19:52:53Z")
I’ll be damned. I even looked at this wiki page – [Flight endurance record - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_endurance_record) – and didn’t bother to scroll down to the “Refuelled, manned” section. Great googily moogily!