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0 pointsqwertox3y ago0 comments

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n863gt/#2f0b1162

The drawing started at 16:50 UTC and ended at 19:30 UTC, so 2 hours and 40 minutes of the 6 hours and 20 minutes long flight.

In any case, this most likely required approval from the FAA, but the cost per se should be neglectable, considering that they have been produced since 1970s.

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4 comments · 2 top-level

selectodude3y ago· 2 in thread

It didn’t require approval from the FAA as the flight plan was filed in class G (uncontrolled) airspace below 14,000 feet.

Might have been a bit of a trip to fly in your Cessna and see a 747 flying down there though.

qwertoxOP3y ago

You're right, thank you for sharing that fact.

I revisited the flight data and if flies below 13,000 ft until it finished the drawing. Then it rose to 41,000 ft and increased the speed from ~200 knots to somewhat over 500.

It blows my mind to think that an 747 is allowed to use the uncontrolled airspace as if it were a Cessna.

gcanyon3y ago

Ah! This explains the 2:40 time for the drawing. Just eyeballing it, I guesstimated an hour, but I was assuming a constant flight speed. So if it was flying at ~200 for the drawing and ~500 otherwise, that would account for it. Thanks!

gcanyon3y ago

Thanks for the accurate time!

"The 747 burns about a gallon per second" -- so in 2:40 they burned almost 10,000 gallons of fuel, or over $20K.

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