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Voyager aircraft return from non-stop trip around the world Voyager aircraft return from non-stop trip around the world

Photo Number: EC87-0029-02
Photo Date: 23 Dec 1986

Formats: 539x480 JPEG Image (97 KBytes)
1150x1024 JPEG Image (641 KBytes)
3000x2670 JPEG Image (6,068 KBytes)

Photo
Description:
The Voyager aircraft circles before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Edwards, California, to complete it's record breaking, nonstop unfueled flight around the world.

Project
Description:
The Voyager landed at Edwards at 8:06 a.m. PST Dec. 23, 1986, after a nine-day flight.

Richard Rutan and Jeana Yeager piloted the aircraft from a cramped cockpit. Voyager's takeoff weight was more than 10 times the structural weight, but its drag was lower than almost any other powered aircraft.

The aircraft's design and light-weight structural materials allowed it to carry an unprecedented amount of fuel on its 25,000 mile flight. Voyager took off from Edwards Dec. 14, and traveled at an average speed of 115.8 mph. The 9 day, 3 minute, 44 sec. flight nearly doubled the previous distance record set in 1962 by a USAF/Boeing B-52H.


NASA Photo by: Thomas Harrop

Keywords: Voyager; world record; around the world; Rutan; Jeana Yeager


Last Modified: February 6, 2002
Responsible NASA Official: Marty Curry
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