US refueling plane breaks endurance record with 45-hour flight around the globe

A US tanker aircraft, the KC-46A Pegasus, has performed the first-ever westbound circumnavigation endurance flight in 48 hours.

In aviation, westward navigation is widely known to be more challenging than eastward due to the jetstream’s slowing effect on aircraft.

The non-stop flight saw the aircraft fly around the world in an expedition called Project Magellan. It took place between June 29 and July 1, and the aircraft refueled during the flight.

The Project Magellan endurance flight

The Project Magellan flight was undertaken to determine whether the aircraft’s range and capabilities could be further improved. The endurance test started and finished at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas.

According to a statement from the US Air Force, the demonstration showed that the KC-46A can provide impressive global reach and mobility.

“Goals for this flight were to see the combined capabilities of a modern tanker and augmented crews, pushing the brink of human performance,” Capt. Jacob Heyrend, 349th Air Refueling Squadron flight surgeon, explained. Heyrend was aboard the aircraft during the flight to ensure the health and safety of the crew.

“The final goal I had for the flight was to maintain crew, flight and mission safety and health as the aeromedical element,” he continued.

The KC-46A belongs to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing. The aircraft was developed by Boeing using its 767 jet airliner as a reference. During the flight, it refueled B-2 Spirit bombers, C-17 Globemasters, F-15E Strike Eagles, and another KC-46.

Helping crews operate longer flights

The Project Magellan flight was all about pushing the limits. Captain Cody Donahue, 22nd Operations Group executive officer, one of the key planners of the flight, said, “Maximum Endurance Operations are all about overcoming the tyranny of distance: with a 48-hour duty day, you can literally fly across the world.”

“In an era of Great Power Competition, crews need the ability to operate longer than they have in the past, and Project Magellan is the next step in getting AMC crews experience in the game-changing new construct that is MEO,” he continued.

Donahue added that this type of flight demonstrates how relatively small crews can cover vast distances. “Previously, three pilots were able to fly as an ‘augmented’ crew for up to 24 hours. Going forward, AMC is looking to have a crew of four pilots operating for up to 48 hours.”

During Project Magellan, the KC-46A was crewed by four pilots and two boom operators, who alternated rest periods using the aircraft’s built-in bunk beds.