Flight distance record
Non-commercial powered aircraft
Table:
Sortable table

Year

Date

Distance

Pilot

Aircraft

Notes

2006
February 12, 2006
41,467.46 km
Steve Fossett
GlobalFlyer
Single pilot (Steve Fossett) flight.[1][2]

1986
December 23, 1986
40,212.14 km
Richard Glenn Rutan and Jeana Yeager
Rutan Voyager
Circumnavigation. Fédération Aéronautique Internationale record holder up to 2006 (current class holder).[3]

1962
January 10–11, 1962
20,168.78 km
(12532.3 mi)
Major Clyde P. Evely and crew
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress
From Kadena AB, Okinawa to Torrejon AB, Spain, via Tokyo, Seattle, Fort Worth, Washington DC and the Azores[4]

1946
September 29 – October 2, 1946
18,083.6 km
CDR Tom Davies pilot, Cdr. Eugene Rankin (co-pilot) and two crew
P2V-1 Neptune
From Perth, Australia to Columbus, U.S.

1945
November 20, 1945
12,739.6 km
U.S. Army Air Forces; C. S. Irvine + crew of 9
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
From Guam to Washington DC, USA

1944
July 2, 1944
16,435 km
Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (Omata, Tanaka, Shimazaki, Sakamoto, Motimatsu, Habiro)
Tachikawa Ki-77
From Hsinking to Báichéng, China (closed circuit)

1939

August 1, 1939
12,936 km

(8,038 mi)

Regia Aeronautica: Angelo Tondi, Riccardo Dogasso, Ferruccio Vignoni, Aldo Staiano

Savoia-Marchetti SM.82

Closed-circuit world record

1938
November 5–7, 1938
11,520.4 km
(7,162 miles)
Royal Air Force Long Range Development Unit; R. Kellett, H.A.V. Hogan and A. N. Combe (first pilots) + crew of two (also qualified pilots) in each aircraft
Vickers Wellesley
From Ismailia, Egypt to Darwin, Northern Territory in Australia; three aircraft flew in formation, Hogan landed to refuel at Koepang (500 miles short of Darwin, Australia), the other two landed at Darwin, Northern Territory.[5]

1938
May 13–15, 1938
11,651.011 km
Yuzoh Fujita + crew (Japan)
Koken-ki
Three-corner course over Japan. Closed-circuit record.[6]

1937
July 12–14, 1937
10,148.5 km
Mikhail Gromov + crew (Soviet Union)
Tupolev ANT-25
From Moscow to San Jacinto, California, USA

1933
August 5–7, 1933
9,104.7 km
Maurice Rossi and Paul Codos (France)
Blériot 110 F-ALCC
From Floyd Bennett Field, New York, USA to Rayak, Syria

1933
February 8, 1933
8,544 km
Royal Air Force Long Range Development Unit; O. R. Gayford and Gilbert Nicholetts
Fairey Long-range Monoplane K1991
From Cranwell, UK, to Walvis Bay, South Africa

1931
August 18–29
8,940 km
Marga von Etzdorf
Junkers A 50ce Junior
From Berlin Tempelhof Airport to Haneda Airport

1931
July 28–31
8,066 km
Russell Boardman and John Polando
Bellanca J-300 Special Cape Cod NR761W
From Floyd Bennett Field to Istanbul, Turkey[7]

1929
December 15–19, 1929
8,029.44 km
Dieudonné Costes and P. Codas
Breguet 19 Super Bidon Point d'Interrogation
Closed-circuit record.[8][9]

1929
September 27–29, 1929
7,905.140 km
Dieudonne Costes and Maurice Bellonte
Breguet 19 Super Bidon Point d'Interrogation
Paris to Qiqihar, China.[10]

1928

July 3–5, 1928

7.188,26

Arturo Ferrarin and Carlo del Prete

Savoia Marchetti S.64

From Montecelio (Italy) to Touros (Brasil). Distance in a straight line. FAI Database ID#9108

1927
June 28–29
3,862.43 km
Albert Francis Hegenberger and Lester Maitland
Fokker F.VII
From California to Hawaii, the longest open sea flight up to that date, in the "Bird of Paradise". They received the Mackey Trophy and the Distinguished Flying Cross from President Calvin Coolidge for this achievement.[11]

1927
May 20–21, 1927
5,809 km
Charles Lindbergh
Ryan NYP, Spirit of St. Louis
Single pilot flight New York – Paris[12][13]

1926
October 28–29, 1926
5,396 km
Dieudonné Costes and Jean Rignot
Breguet 19 GR
From Paris–Le Bourget Airport to Djask, Iran[14][15]

Looking at the table along with the textual context listed at the end.

Solve the question: Which of the people who set a record in 1927 died at the latest date ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

James Stephen Steve Fossett ( April 22 , 1944 - September 3 , 2007 ) was an American businessman and a record-setting aviator , sailor , and adventurer . He was the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon and in a fixed-wing aircraft . He made his fortune in the financial services industry and was best known for many world records , including five nonstop circumnavigations of the Earth : as a long-distance solo balloonist , as a sailor , and as a solo flight fixed-wing aircraft pilot . A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and the Explorers Club , Fossett set more than one hundred records [ verification needed ] in five different sports , sixty of which still stood at the time of his death . He broke three of the seven absolute world records for fixed-wing aircraft recognized by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale , all in his Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer . In 2002 , he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club of the UK , and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007 . Fossett disappeared on September 3 , 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert , between Nevada and California . Extensive searches proved unsuccessful , and he was declared legally dead in February of the following year . In September 2008 , a hiker found Fossett 's identification cards in the Sierra Nevada Mountains , California , leading shortly after to the discovery of the plane 's wreckage . Fossett 's only known remains , two large bones , were found half a mile from the crash site , probably scattered by wild animals .
The Scaled Composites Model 311 Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer ( registered N277SF ) is an aircraft designed by Burt Rutan in which Steve Fossett first flew a solo nonstop airplane flight around the world in slightly more than 67 hours ( 2 days 19 hours ) . The flight speed of 551 km/h set the world record for the fastest nonstop non-refueled circumnavigation , beating the mark set by the previous Rutan-designed Voyager aircraft at 9 days 3 minutes and a top speed of 196 km/h . The aircraft was owned by the pilot Steve Fossett , sponsored by Richard Branson 's airline , Virgin Atlantic , and built by Burt Rutan 's company , Scaled Composites . The two companies subsequently went on to work together on Virgin Galactic . Between February 8 , 2006 and February 11 , 2006 , Fossett flew the GlobalFlyer for the longest aircraft flight distance in history : 25,766 miles ( 41,466 km ) .
Richard Glenn Dick Rutan ( born July 1 , 1938 ) is a retired United States Air Force officer and fighter pilot , test pilot , and record-breaking aviator who in 1986 piloted the Voyager aircraft around the world non-stop with co-pilot Jeana Yeager . He was born in Loma Linda , California , where he gained an interest in flight at a young age . He is the older brother of famed aerospace designer Burt Rutan .
Jeana Lee Yeager ( born May 18 , 1952 ) is an American aviator . She co-piloted , along with Dick Rutan , the first non-stop , non-refueled flight around the world in the Rutan Voyager aircraft from December 14 to 23 , 1986 . The flight took 9 days , 3 minutes , and 44 seconds and covered 24,986 miles ( 40,211 km ) , more than doubling the old distance record set by a Boeing B-52 strategic bomber in 1962 .
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 of 11,000 feet ( 3,350 m ) .
Circumnavigation is the complete navigation around an entire island , continent , or astronomical body ( e.g . a planet or moon ) . This article focuses on the circumnavigation of Earth . The first circumnavigation of Earth was the Magellan-Elcano expedition , which sailed from Seville , Spain in 1519 and returned in 1522 , after crossing the Atlantic , Pacific , and Indian oceans . Since the rise of commercial aviation in the late 20th century , circumnavigating Earth is straightforward , usually taking days instead of years . Today , the challenge of circumnavigating Earth has shifted towards human and technological endurance , speed , and less conventional methods .
The Fédération aéronautique internationale ( French : [ fedeʁɑsjɔ̃ aeʁɔnotik ɛ̃tɛʁnasjɔnal ] ; FAI ; English : World Air Sports Federation ) , is the world governing body for air sports , and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight . It was founded on 14 October 1905 , and is headquartered in Lausanne , Switzerland . It maintains world records for aeronautical activities including ballooning , aeromodeling , unmanned aerial vehicles ( drones ) , as well as flights into space .
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range , subsonic , jet-powered strategic bomber . The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing , which has continued to provide support and upgrades . It has been operated by the United States Air Force ( USAF ) since the 1950s . The bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds ( 32,000 kg ) of weapons , and has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles ( 14,080 km ) without aerial refueling . Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946 , the B-52 design evolved from a straight wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings . The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952 . Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions , the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 . A veteran of several wars , the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat . The B-52 's official name Stratofortress is rarely used ; informally , the aircraft has become commonly referred to as the BUFF ( Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella ) . [ Note 1 ] The B-52 has been in active service with the USAF since 1955 . As of June 2019 [ update ] , 58 are in active service , 18 in reserves , and approximately 12 more aircraft in long term storage . The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command ( ACC ) ; in 2010 , all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the newly created Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) .
In the United States , commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military billet title - the designation of someone who manages living quarters or a base - depending on the branch of service . It is also used as a rank or title in non-military organizations ; particularly in law enforcement .
The Lockheed P-2 Neptune ( designated P2V by the United States Navy prior to September 1962 ) was a maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) aircraft . It was developed for the US Navy by Lockheed to replace the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon , and was replaced in turn by the Lockheed P-3 Orion . Designed as a land-based aircraft , the Neptune never made a carrier landing , but a small number were converted and deployed as carrier-launched , stop-gap nuclear bombers that would have to land on shore or ditch . The type was successful in export , and saw service with several armed forces .
Perth ( /ˈpɜːrθ/ ( listen ) PURTH ) is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia ( WA ) . It is named after the city of Perth , Scotland and is Australia 's fourth-most populous city , with a population of 2.06 million living in Greater Perth . Perth is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia , with most of the metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain , a narrow strip between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp . The first areas settled were on the Swan River at Guildford , with the city 's central business district and port ( Fremantle ) both later founded downriver . Captain James Stirling founded Perth in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony . It gained city status ( currently vested in the smaller City of Perth ) in 1856 and was promoted to the status of a Lord Mayorality in 1929 . The city inherited its name due to the influence of Sir George Murray , then Member of Parliament for Perthshire and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies . The city 's population increased substantially as a result of the Western Australian gold rushes in the late 19th century . During Australia 's involvement in World War II , Fremantle served as a base for submarines operating in the Pacific Theatre , and a US Navy Catalina flying boat fleet was based at Matilda Bay . An influx of immigrants after the war , predominantly from Britain , Italy , Greece , and Yugoslavia , led to rapid population growth . This was followed by a surge in economic activity flowing from several mining booms in the late 20th and early 21st centuries that saw Perth become the regional headquarters for several large mining operations . As part of Perth 's role as the capital of Western Australia , the state 's Parliament and Supreme Court are in the city , as is Government House , the residence of the Governor of Western Australia .
Columbus is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio . With a population of 892,533 as of 2018 estimates , it is the 14th-most populous city in the United States and one of the fastest growing large cities in the nation . This makes Columbus the second-most populous city in the Midwest ( after Chicago , Illinois ) . It is the core city of the Columbus , OH Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses ten counties . With a population of 2,078,725 , it is Ohio 's second-largest metropolitan area . Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County . The municipality has also annexed portions of adjoining Delaware and Fairfield counties . Named for explorer Christopher Columbus , the city was founded in 1812 , at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers , and assumed the functions of state capital in 1816 . The city has a diverse economy based on education , government , insurance , banking , defense , aviation , food , clothes , logistics , steel , energy , medical research , health care , hospitality , retail , and technology . The metropolitan area is home to the Battelle Memorial Institute , the world 's largest private research and development foundation ; Chemical Abstracts Service , the world 's largest clearinghouse of chemical information ; NetJets , the world 's largest fractional ownership jet aircraft fleet ; and Ohio State University , one of the largest universities in the United States . As of 2018 , the city has the headquarters of five corporations in the U.S. Fortune 500 : American Electric Power , Cardinal Health , L Brands , Nationwide , and Big Lots , just out of the top 500 . In 2016 , Money Magazine ranked Columbus as one of The 6 Best Big Cities , calling it the best in the Midwest , citing a highly educated workforce and excellent wage growth .
The United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF or AAF ) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army , and de facto aerial warfare service branch of the United States , during and immediately after World War II ( 1939/41-1945 ) , successor to the previous United States Army Air Corps , and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force of today , one of the five uniformed military services . The AAF was a component of the United States Army , which on 2 March 1942 was divided functionally by executive order into three autonomous forces : the Army Ground Forces , the Services of Supply ( which in 1943 became the Army Service Forces ) , and the Army Air Forces . Each of these forces had a commanding general who reported directly to the Army Chief of Staff . The AAF administered all parts of military aviation formerly distributed among the Air Corps , General Headquarters Air Force , and the ground forces ' corps area commanders , and thus became the first air organization of the U.S. Army to control its own installations and support personnel . The peak size of the AAF during the Second World War was over 2.4 million men and women in service and nearly 80,000 aircraft by 1944 , and 783 domestic bases in December 1943 . By V-E Day , the Army Air Forces had 1.25 million men stationed overseas and operated from more than 1,600 airfields worldwide . The Army Air Forces was created in June 1941 to provide the air arm a greater autonomy in which to expand more efficiently , to provide a structure for the additional command echelons required by a vastly increased force , and to end an increasingly divisive administrative battle within the Army over control of aviation doctrine and organization that had been ongoing since the creation of an aviation section within the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1914 . The AAF succeeded both the Air Corps , which had been the statutory military aviation branch since 1926 , and the GHQ Air Force , which had been activated in 1935 to quiet the demands of airmen for an independent Air Force similar to the Royal Air Force which had already been established in the United Kingdom . Although other nations already had separate air forces independent of their army or navy ( such as the British Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe ) , the AAF remained a part of the Army until a defense reorganization in the post-war period resulted in the passage by the United States Congress of the National Security Act of 1947 with the creation of an independent United States Air Force in September 1947 . In its expansion and conduct of the war , the AAF became more than just an arm of the greater organization . By the end of World War II , the Army Air Forces had become virtually an independent service . By regulation and executive order , it was a subordinate agency of the United States Department of War ( as were the Army Ground Forces and the Army Service Forces ) tasked only with organizing , training , and equipping combat units , and limited in responsibility to the continental United States .
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a four-engine propeller-driven heavy bomber designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War . Named in allusion to its predecessor , the B-17 Flying Fortress , the Superfortress was designed for high-altitude strategic bombing but also excelled in low-altitude night incendiary bombing , and in dropping naval mines to blockade Japan . B-29s also dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which contributed to the end of World War II . One of the largest aircraft of World War II , the B-29 had state-of-the-art technology , including a pressurized cabin ; dual-wheeled , tricycle landing gear ; and an analog computer-controlled fire-control system that allowed one gunner and a fire-control officer to direct four remote machine gun turrets . The $ 3 billion cost of design and production ( equivalent to $ 43 billion today ) - far exceeding the $ 1.9 billion cost of the Manhattan Project - made the B-29 program the most expensive of the war . The B-29 's advanced design allowed it to remain in service in various roles throughout the 1950s . The type was retired in the early 1960s , after 3,970 had been built . A few were used as flying television transmitters by the Stratovision company . The Royal Air Force flew the B-29 as the Washington until 1954 . The B-29 was the progenitor of a series of Boeing-built bombers , transports , tankers , reconnaissance aircraft and trainers . The re-engined B-50 Superfortress became the first aircraft to fly around the world non-stop , during a 94-hour flight in 1949 . The Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter airlifter , first flown in 1944 , was followed in 1947 by its commercial airliner variant , the Boeing Model 377 Stratocruiser .
The Imperial Japanese Army Air Service or Imperial Japanese Army Air Force ( IJAAS or IJAAF ) ( 大日本帝國陸軍航空部隊 , Dainippon Teikoku Rikugun Kōkūbutai ) or , more literally , the Greater Japan Empire Army Air Corps , was the aviation force of the Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA ) . Just as the IJA in general was modeled mainly on the German Army , the IJAAS initially developed along similar lines to the Imperial German Army Aviation ; its primary mission was to provide tactical close air support for ground forces , as well as a limited air interdiction capability . The IJAAS also provided aerial reconnaissance to other branches of the IJA . While the IJAAS engaged in strategic bombing of cities such as Shanghai , Nanking , Canton , Chongqing , Rangoon , and Mandalay , this was not the primary mission of the IJAAS , and it lacked a heavy bomber force . It did not usually control artillery spotter/observer aircraft ; artillery battalions controlled the light aircraft and balloons that operated in these roles . The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was responsible for long-range bomber and attack aircraft , as well as strategic air defense . It was not until the later stages of the Pacific War that the two air arms attempted to integrate the air defense of the home islands .
The Tachikawa Ki-77 was a Japanese very long-range experimental transport and communications aircraft of World War II derived from a design commissioned by a newspaper to break the flight distance record set by a rival . It was a low-wing cabin monoplane with twin piston engines and a tailwheel undercarriage .
The Italian Royal Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica Italiana ) was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy . It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946 . In 1946 , the monarchy was abolished and the Kingdom of Italy became the Italian Republic , whereupon the name of the air force changed to Aeronautica Militare .
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 was an Italian bomber and transport aircraft of World War II . It was a cantilever , mid-wing monoplane trimotor with a retractable , tailwheel undercarriage . There were 875 ( plus one prototype ) built , the first entering service in 1940 . Although able to operate as a bomber with a maximum bombload of up to 8,818 lb ( 4000 kg ) , the SM.82 saw very limited use in this role . The SM.82 was the foreign aircraft used in largest number by the Luftwaffe , which operated several hundreds of this aircraft , as a transport . Post-war about 30 SM.82s continued in service with the Aeronautica Militare Italiana , many remaining in service until the early 1960s .
The Royal Air Force ( RAF ) is the United Kingdom 's aerial warfare force . It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918 . Following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as , at the time , the largest air force in the world . Since its formation , the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history . In particular , it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign , the Battle of Britain . The RAF 's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence ( MoD ) , which are to provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories , including against terrorism ; to support the Government 's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security . The RAF describes its mission statement as . [ to provide ] an agile , adaptable and capable Air Force that , person for person , is second to none , and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission . The mission statement is supported by the RAF 's definition of air power , which guides its strategy . Air power is defined as the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events . Today the Royal Air Force maintains an operational fleet of various types of aircraft , described by the RAF as being leading-edge in terms of technology . This largely consists of fixed-wing aircraft , including : fighter and strike aircraft , airborne early warning and control aircraft , ISTAR and SIGINT aircraft , aerial refueling aircraft and strategic and tactical transport aircraft .
The Vickers Wellesley was a British 1930s medium bomber built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands near Weybridge , Surrey , for the Royal Air Force . While it was obsolete by the start of the Second World War and unsuited to the European air war , the Wellesley was operated in the desert theatres of East Africa , Egypt and the Middle East . It was one of two planes named after Arthur Wellesley , 1st Duke of Wellington , the other being the Vickers Wellington .
Darwin ( /ˈdɑːrwɪn/ ( listen ) DAR-win ) is the capital city of the Northern Territory of Australia , situated on the Timor Sea . It is the largest city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory , with a population of 148,564 . It is the smallest , wettest and most northerly of the Australian capital cities , and acts as the Top End 's regional centre . Darwin 's proximity to South East Asia makes it a link between Australia and countries such as Indonesia and East Timor . The Stuart Highway begins in Darwin , extends southerly across central Australia through Tennant Creek and Alice Springs , concluding in Port Augusta , South Australia . The city is built upon a low bluff overlooking the harbour . Its suburbs begin at Lee Point in the north and stretch to Berrimah in the east . Past Berrimah , the Stuart Highway goes on to Darwin 's satellite city Palmerston and its suburbs . The Darwin region , like much of the Top End , experiences a tropical climate with a wet and dry season . A period known locally as the build up leading up to Darwin 's wet season sees temperature and humidity increase . Darwin 's wet season typically arrives in late November to early December and brings with it heavy monsoonal downpours , spectacular lightning displays , and increased cyclone activity . During the dry season , the city has clear skies and mild sea breezes from the harbour .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
The Gasuden Koken ( also known as the Kōken-ki ( 航研機 ) ) was a Japanese long-range research aircraft of the 1930s . It was built by the Tokyo Gas and Electric Industry ( also known as Gasuden ) , to break the world record for longest flight , setting a closed circuit world record of 11,651 km ( 7,240 mi ) in March 1938 .
Mikhail Mikhailovich Gromov ( Russian : Михаи́л Миха́йлович Гро́мов ; 24 February [ O.S . 12 February ] 1899 - 22 January 1985 ) was a Russian and Soviet military aviator , test pilot , researcher , and Hero of the Soviet Union .
The Tupolev ANT-25 was a Soviet long-range experimental aircraft which was also tried as a bomber . First constructed in 1933 , it was used by the Soviet Union for a number of record-breaking flights .
The Blériot 110 ( or Blériot-Zappata 110 ) was a French aircraft built in 1930 to attempt new world aerial distance records .
Floyd Bennett Field is an airfield in the Marine Park neighborhood of southeast Brooklyn in New York City , along the shore of Jamaica Bay . The airport originally hosted commercial and general aviation traffic before being used as a naval air station . Bennett Field is currently part of the Gateway National Recreation Area 's Jamaica Bay Unit , and is managed by the National Park Service ( NPS ) . While no longer used as an operational commercial , military , or general aviation airfield , a section is still used as a helicopter base by the New York City Police Department ( NYPD ) , and one runway is reserved for hobbyists flying radio-controlled aircraft . Floyd Bennett Field was created by connecting Barren Island and several smaller islands to the rest of Brooklyn by filling the channels between them with sand pumped from the bottom of Jamaica Bay . The airport was named after Floyd Bennett , a noted aviator who piloted the first plane to fly over the North Pole and had visualized an airport at Barren Island before dying in 1928 ; construction on Bennett Field started the same year . The airport was dedicated on June 26 , 1930 , and officially opened to commercial flights on May 23 , 1931 . Despite the exceptional quality of its facilities , Bennett Field never received much commercial traffic , and it was used instead for general aviation . During the interwar period , dozens of aviation records were set by aviators flying to or from Bennett Field . Starting in the 1930s , the United States Coast Guard and United States Navy occupied part of the airport . With the outbreak of World War II , Bennett Field became part of Naval Air Station New York on June 2 , 1941 . Floyd Bennett Field was a hub for naval activities during World War II .
Air Marshal Sir Gilbert Edward Nicholetts , KBE , CB , AFC & Bar ( 9 November 1902 - 7 September 1983 ) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the 1950s .
The Fairey Long-range Monoplanes was a British experimental aircraft first flown in 1928 . It was single-engine , high-wing aircraft with fixed tail skid landing gear . Two examples were built .
Walvis Bay ( Afrikaans : Walvisbaai ) , meaning Whale Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies . The town covers a total area of 29 square kilometres ( 11 sq mi ) of land . The bay is a safe haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour , protected by the Pelican Point sand spit , being the only natural harbour of any size along the country 's coast . Being rich in plankton and marine life , these waters also drew large numbers of southern right whales , attracting whalers and fishing vessels . The Dutch referred to it as Walvisch Baye and the English as Whale Bay . In its eventual formal incorporation , it was named Walfish Bay , which was changed to Walvish Bay , and ultimately to Walvis Bay . It has also been referred to as Walwich Bay or Walwisch Bay . The Herero people of the area called it Ezorongondo . A succession of colonists developed the location and resources of this strategic harbour settlement . The harbour 's value in relation to the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope had caught the attention of world powers since it was discovered by the outside world in 1485 . This explains the complicated political status of Walvis Bay down the years . The town is situated just north of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Kuiseb River delta and lies at the end of the TransNamib Railway to Windhoek , and on B2 road .
Margarete ( Marga ) von Etzdorf ( 1 August 1907 - 28 May 1933 ) was a German aircraft pilot , notable for being the first woman hired to fly for an airline , and the first woman to fly solo across Siberia , from Germany to Tokyo , Japan .
The Junkers A50 was a German sports plane of the 1930s , also called the A50 Junior .
Berlin Tempelhof Airport ( German : Flughafen Berlin-Tempelhof ) ( IATA : THF , ICAO : EDDI ) was one of the first airports in Berlin , Germany . Situated in the south-central Berlin borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg , the airport ceased operating in 2008 amid controversy , leaving Tegel and Schönefeld as the two main airports serving the city , with the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport still under construction as of 2020 . Tempelhof was designated as an airport by the Reich Ministry of Transport on 8 October 1923 . The old terminal was originally constructed in 1927 . In anticipation of increasing air traffic , the Nazi government began a massive reconstruction in the mid-1930s . While it was occasionally cited as the world 's oldest operating commercial airport , the title was disputed by several other airports , and is no longer an issue since its closure . Tempelhof was one of Europe 's three iconic pre-World War II airports , the others being London 's now defunct Croydon Airport and the old Paris-Le Bourget Airport . It acquired a further iconic status as the centre of the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49 . One of the airport 's most distinctive features is its massive , canopy-style roof extending over the apron , able to accommodate most contemporary airliners in the 1950s , 1960s and early 1970s , protecting passengers from the elements . Tempelhof Airport 's main building was once among the top 20 largest buildings on earth ; in contrast , it formerly had the world 's smallest duty-free shop . Tempelhof Airport closed all operations on 30 October 2008 , despite the efforts of some protesters to prevent the closure . A non-binding referendum was held on 27 April 2008 against the impending closure but failed due to low voter turnout .
Tokyo International Airport ( 東京国際空港 , Tōkyō Kokusai Kūkō ) , commonly known as Haneda Airport ( 羽田空港 , Haneda Kūkō ) , Tokyo Haneda Airport , and Haneda International Airport ( IATA : HND , ICAO : RJTT ) , is one of the two primary airports that serve the Greater Tokyo Area , and is the primary base of Japan 's two major domestic airlines , Japan Airlines ( Terminal 1 ) and All Nippon Airways ( Terminal 2 ) , as well as Air Do , Skymark Airlines , Solaseed Air , and StarFlyer . It is located in Ōta , Tokyo , 15 kilometres ( 9.3 mi ) south of Tokyo Station . Haneda was the primary international airport serving Tokyo until 1978 ; from 1978 to 2010 , Haneda handled almost all domestic flights to and from Tokyo as well as scheduled charter flights to a small number of major cities in East Asia , while Narita International Airport handled the vast majority of international flights . In 2010 , a dedicated international terminal was opened at Haneda in conjunction with the completion of a fourth runway , allowing long-haul flights during night-time hours . Haneda opened up to long-haul service during the daytime in March 2014 , with carriers offering nonstop service to 25 cities in 17 countries . The Japanese government is currently encouraging the use of Haneda for premium business routes and the use of Narita for leisure routes and by low-cost carriers . Haneda handled 87,098,683 passengers in 2018 ; by passenger throughput , it was the third-busiest airport in Asia and the fourth-busiest in the world , after Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport , Beijing Capital International Airport ( Asia 's busiest ) , and Dubai International Airport . It is able to handle 90 million passengers per year following its expansion in 2010 . With Haneda and Narita combined Tokyo has the third-busiest city airport system in the world , after London and New York City .
Russell Boardman ( 1898-July 1 , 1933 ) was an early American aviation pioneer who , along with John Polando , flew from Floyd Bennett Field to Istanbul , Turkey in 1931 to set an aviation record for the longest continuous distance flown without refueling . Before this achievement , he was also a stunt pilot for the film Hell 's Angels .
John Polando ( 1901-1985 ) was an early American aviation pioneer who , along with Russell Boardman , flew from Floyd Bennett Field to Istanbul in 1931 to set an aviation record for the longest continuous distance flown without refueling . Following this achievement , he was an officer in World War II .
The Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker was a six-seat utility aircraft , built primarily in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s . It was a development of the Bellanca CH-200 , fitted with a more powerful engine and , like the CH-200 , soon became renowned for its long-distance endurance .
Istanbul ( /ˌɪstænˈbʊl/ , also US : /ˈɪstænbʊl/ ; Turkish : İstanbul [ isˈtanbuɫ ] ( listen ) ) , formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the most populous city in Turkey and the country 's economic , cultural and historic center . Istanbul is a transcontinental city in Eurasia , straddling the Bosporus strait ( which separates Europe and Asia ) between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea . Its commercial and historical center lies on the European side and about a third of its population lives in suburbs on the Asian side of the Bosporus . With a total population of around 15 million residents in its metropolitan area , Istanbul is one of the world 's most populous cities , ranking as the world 's fifth-largest city proper and the largest European city . The city is the administrative center of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality ( coterminous with Istanbul Province ) . Founded under the name of Byzantion ( Βυζάντιον ) on the Sarayburnu promontory around 660 BCE , the city grew in size and influence , becoming one of the most important cities in history . After its reestablishment as Constantinople in 330 CE , it served as an imperial capital for almost 16 centuries , during the Roman/Byzantine ( 330-1204 ) , Latin ( 1204-1261 ) , Palaiologos Byzantine ( 1261-1453 ) and Ottoman ( 1453-1922 ) empires . It was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity during Roman and Byzantine times , before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 CE and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the Ottoman Caliphate . Under the name Constantinople it was the Ottoman capital until 1923 . The capital was then moved to Ankara and the city was renamed Istanbul . The city held the strategic position between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean . It was also on the historic Silk Road .
Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye [ ˈtyɾcije ] ) , officially the Republic of Turkey ( Turkish : Türkiye Cumhuriyeti [ ˈtyɾcije dʒumˈhuːɾijeti ] ( listen ) ) , is a transcontinental country located mostly on the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeastern Europe . East Thrace , the part of Turkey in Europe , is separated from Anatolia by the Sea of Marmara , the Bosporus and the Dardanelles ( collectively called the Turkish Straits ) . Istanbul , mostly located on the European side , is the largest city in the country while Ankara is the capital . Turkey is bordered by Greece and Bulgaria to its northwest , the Black Sea to its north , Georgia to its northeast , Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to its east , Iraq and Syria to its southeast , the Mediterranean Sea to its south , and the Aegean Sea to its west . Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the country 's citizens identify as Turkish , while Kurds are the largest minority at anywhere from 15 to 20 percent of the population . At various points in its history , the region has been inhabited by diverse civilisations including the Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians , and Armenians . Hellenization started during the era of Alexander the Great and continued into the Byzantine era . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , and their victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 symbolises the start and foundation of Turkey . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small principalities called beyliks . Beginning in the late 13th century , the Ottomans started uniting beyliks and conquering the Balkans . After Mehmed II conquered Constantinople in 1453 , Ottoman expansion continued under Selim I . During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa and became a world power .
Dieudonné Costes ( 14 November 1892 - 18 May 1973 ) was a French aviator who set flight distance records . He was also a fighter ace during World War I .
The Breguet 19 ( Breguet XIX , Br.19 or Bre.19 ) was a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft , also used for long-distance flights , designed by the French Breguet company and produced from 1924 .
Dieudonné Costes ( 14 November 1892 - 18 May 1973 ) was a French aviator who set flight distance records . He was also a fighter ace during World War I .
Maurice Bellonte ( Méru , Oise , 25 October 1896 - Paris , 14 January 1983 ) was a French aviator who set flight distance records . Associated with Dieudonné Costes , in 1930 he performed the first westbound crossing of the North Atlantic from Paris to New York , on board the Breguet XIX Point d'interrogation .
Qiqihar ( Chinese : 齐齐哈尔 ; pinyin : Qíqíhā'ěr ) is the second largest city in the Heilongjiang province of China , located in the west central part of the province . The built-up ( or metro ) area made up of Longsha , Tiefeng and Jianhua districts had 979,517 inhabitants , while the total population of the prefecture-level city was 5,367,003 at the 2010 census . These are mainly Han Chinese , though the city is also home to thirty-four minorities including Manchus , Daur , and Mongols . Close to Qiqihar are numerous wetlands and the Zhalong Nature Reserve , famous in China for being home to numerous red-crowned cranes .
Arturo Ferrarin ( 13 February 1895 - 18 July 1941 ) was an Italian pioneer aviator . His exploits included winning the Raid Roma-Tokyo air race in 1920 and a non-stop flight from Italy to Brazil in 1928 with fellow aviator Carlo Del Prete . The latter flight set the world distance record for a non-stop flight . Ferrarin , who was born in Thiene and was a decorated veteran of the Italian Royal Air Force during World War I , died in a plane crash at Guidonia Montecelio in 1941 .
Albert Francis Hegenberger ( September 30 , 1895 - August 31 , 1983 ) was a major general in the United States Air Force and a pioneering aviator who set a flight distance record with Lester J. Maitland , completing the first transpacific flight to Hawaii in 1927 as navigator of the Bird of Paradise . Hegenberger was an aeronautical engineer of note , earning both the Mackay Trophy ( 1927 ) and Collier Trophy ( 1934 ) for achievement .
Lester James Maitland ( February 8 , 1899 - March 27 , 1990 ) was an aviation pioneer and career officer in the United States Army Air Forces and its predecessors . Maitland began his career as a Reserve pilot in the U.S. Army Air Service during World War I and rose to brigadier general in the Michigan Air National Guard following World War II . In 1927 Maitland and Lt. Albert F. Hegenberger completed the first transpacific flight from California to Hawaii , flying the modified transport Bird of Paradise . Although the recognition accorded them was less in comparison with the adulation given Charles Lindbergh for his transatlantic flight only five weeks earlier , Maitland and Hegenberger 's feat was arguably more significant from a navigational stand point . Maitland continued his career in the Air Corps , serving in combat as a bombardment group commander during World War II . He later became the first director of the Wisconsin Aeronautics Commission and the Director of Civil Defense for the state of Michigan before changing professions and becoming an Episcopal minister .
The Fokker F.VII , also known as the Fokker Trimotor , was an airliner produced in the 1920s by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker , Fokker 's American subsidiary Atlantic Aircraft Corporation , and other companies under licence .
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States Armed Forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight , subsequent to November 11 , 1918 .
Calvin Coolidge ( born John Calvin Coolidge Jr. ; /ˈkuːlɪdʒ/ ; July 4 , 1872 - January 5 , 1933 ) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929 . A Republican lawyer from New England , born in Vermont , Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics , eventually becoming governor of Massachusetts . His response to the Boston Police Strike of 1919 thrust him into the national spotlight and gave him a reputation as a man of decisive action . The next year , he was elected vice president of the United States , and he succeeded to the presidency upon the sudden death of Warren G. Harding in 1923 . Elected in his own right in 1924 , he gained a reputation as a small government conservative and also as a man who said very little and had a rather dry sense of humor . Coolidge restored public confidence in the White House after the scandals of his predecessor 's administration , and left office with considerable popularity . As a Coolidge biographer wrote : He embodied the spirit and hopes of the middle class , could interpret their longings and express their opinions . That he did represent the genius of the average is the most convincing proof of his strength . Scholars have ranked Coolidge in the lower half of those presidents that they have assessed . He is praised by advocates of smaller government and laissez-faire economics , while supporters of an active central government generally view him less favorably , although most praise his stalwart support of racial equality .
Charles Augustus Lindbergh ( February 4 , 1902 - August 26 , 1974 ) was an American aviator , military officer , author , inventor , and activist . At age 25 in 1927 , he went from obscurity as a U.S. Air Mail pilot to instantaneous world fame by winning the Orteig Prize for making a nonstop flight from New York to Paris . Lindbergh covered the ​33 1⁄2-hour , 3,600-statute-mile ( 5,800 km ) flight alone in a purpose-built , single-engine Ryan monoplane , the Spirit of St. Louis . Although not the first non-stop transatlantic flight , this was the first solo transatlantic flight , the first transatlantic flight between two major city hubs , and the longest transatlantic flight by almost 2,000 miles , thus it is widely known as a turning point in the trajectory of aviation history and advancement . Lindbergh was an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve , and he received the United States ' highest military decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his transatlantic flight . His achievement spurred interest in both commercial aviation and air mail , which revolutionized the aviation industry , and he devoted much time and effort to promoting such activity . Lindbergh 's historic flight and celebrity status also led to tragedy . In March 1932 , his infant son , Charles Jr. , was kidnapped and murdered in what the American media called the Crime of the Century . The case prompted the United States Congress to establish kidnapping as a federal crime once the kidnapper had crossed state lines with their victim . By late 1935 , the hysteria surrounding the case had driven the Lindbergh family into exile in Europe , from which they returned in 1939 . Before the United States entered World War II , Lindbergh was an advocate of non-interventionism and a supporter of Nazi Germany . He opposed not only the intervention of the United States , but also the granting of aid to the United Kingdom .
The Spirit of St. Louis ( formally the Ryan NYP , registration : N-X-211 ) is the custom-built , single-engine , single-seat , high-wing monoplane that was flown by Charles Lindbergh on May 20-21 , 1927 , on the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from Long Island , New York , to Paris , France , for which Lindbergh won the $ 25,000 Orteig Prize . Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt Airfield , Garden City , New York , and landed 33 hours , 30 minutes later at Aéroport Le Bourget in Paris , France , a distance of approximately 3,600 miles ( 5,800 km ) . One of the best-known aircraft in the world , the Spirit was built by Ryan Airlines in San Diego , California , owned and operated at the time by Benjamin Franklin Mahoney , who had purchased it from its founder , T. Claude Ryan , in 1926 . The Spirit is on permanent display in the main entryway 's Milestones of Flight gallery at the Smithsonian Institution 's National Air and Space Museum in Washington , D.C .