What is the longest flight time for a single pilot alone in an aircraft?
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4$\begingroup$ I found a number of relevant results by searching "longest solo flight" in Google. $\endgroup$– Greg HewgillMar 30, 2015 at 1:07
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2$\begingroup$ Relevant Meta discussion $\endgroup$– raptortech97Mar 30, 2015 at 1:34
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$\begingroup$ @greg me too (but only after relalizing i should use the word "solo") and I don't know which, if any, is correct. $\endgroup$– Scary SpiceMar 30, 2015 at 2:49
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1$\begingroup$ Glider pilots can go for aaaaaggges, are they within the scope of your question? $\endgroup$– BenMar 30, 2015 at 6:20
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2$\begingroup$ Aviation records can be researched at the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) web site. $\endgroup$– Porcupine911Mar 30, 2015 at 15:41
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2 Answers
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What is the longest flight time for a single pilot alone in an aircraft?
13 days if a balloon counts as an aircraft.
Balloon
Steve Fossett set a record in 2002
In 2002, he became the first person to fly around the world alone, nonstop in any kind of aircraft. He launched the 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom from Northam, Western Australia on June 19, 2002 and returned to Australia on July 3, 2002, subsequently landing in Queensland. Duration and distance of this solo balloon flight was 13 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes (14 days 19 hours 50 minutes to landing), 20,626.48 statute miles (33,195.10 km).
Other types of aircraft
The following information was volunteered in comments by Scary Spice and Peter Kämpf.
Glider
Charles Atger, stayed aloft for 56.25 hours, solo.
Powered airplane
Charles Lindbergh was all by himself for 33.5 hours.
Spacecraft
Ron Evans, Apollo 17 Command Module Pilot, was alone for 79 hours, 49 minutes.
answered Mar 30, 2015 at 9:44
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$\begingroup$ What was the "powered airplane" that was used to set the record? $\endgroup$ Mar 31, 2015 at 21:39
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1$\begingroup$ Wasn't it the
Spirit of St. Andrew? Or maybe St Peter... $\endgroup$– CullubMay 9, 2015 at 15:17
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The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) does no longer accept new records for endurance flights of airplanes and gliders for safety reasons. They used to have such a category until at least the mid 1930s.
The longest powered, unrefueled, solo flight I was able to find is the circumnavigation of the Earth by Steve Fossett in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer. After taking of on February 8, 2006, at 12:22 UTC he flew for 76 hours and 45 minutes and travelled an official distance of 41,467 km.
answered Mar 30, 2015 at 20:52
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$\begingroup$ Wow! Do you know if he used AutoPilot? Seems that would make it a bit easier... $\endgroup$– CullubMay 9, 2015 at 15:21