Hi Guys,What is the 747-400's maximum endurance?In order to do some testing I need to pick a really really really long route to fly. I want this one to be at the very extent of the range the 747-400 can travel. Think empty cabin and cargo hold and tanks all full to the brim.I have done the 16 hour ORD-HKG United Airlines one, and that's probably sufficient if nothing else is out there, but if an even longer flight were possible I'd love to hear it.Has anyone done anything like this before?Appreciate any help here.ChrsMark

An empty (bar 25 or so journalists etc) QF744 VH-OJA flew direct LHR-SYD in 1989 on a delivery flight. They were towed to the runway and were given the most optimum routing/flight levels possible along route. I think they started at FL280 and ended up at FL450 over Western Australia somewhere. It was a 20-20.5 hour flight. They also used some sort of high-density fuel I think.I am pretty sure that is the longest flight a 744 has ever performed.CheersRudy(Edited to change a few details)

According to the cruise and fuel planning manual, you could get an endurance of around 17hrs 31 mins with a fuel load of 172,400 kg/380,000lbs of fuel. Of course you'd have to have very little payload onboard :)

That was roughly what I had expected it to be, thanks.Now to find a route that fits!

Correct Rudy.From Wikipedia - "In 1989, a Qantas 747-400 flew non-stop from London to Sydney, a distance of 11185 miles (18001 kilometres) in 20 hours and 9 minutes..."Now that I think of it I had a promotional poster from that flight up on my wall when I was a kid.This might be the route of choice! Thanks Rudy.

Continental uses the T7 KEWR to HKG

longest flight by a 747-400 was form London to Sdyney which took 20 hours 9 minutes and covered 10,587 miles (9,199 Nautical Miles)

Another long B744 pax flight is the Qantas KLAX-YMML, QFA94. It's scheduled for 15hrs 15mins. But remember that Qantas use B747-400ER (extended range). Qantas are the only airline to use 400ERs for pax services. All other ERs are cargo variants.rgds

I'm going to be flying ORD-HKG-ORD this weekend, anyone have a nice real world route for me to use? TIA

I have some friends in United Airlines Dispatch.They, along with Northwest and a few other airlines, use the Polar routings.These are PLR1, PLR2, PLR3 & PLR4.