| AROUND THE WORLD SPEED RECORD On the evening of January 28, 1988, a Boeing 747SP
named Friendship One took off from the Museum of
Flight at Boeing Field to fly around the world faster
than any airplane in history. The aircraft, donated for
the flight by United Airlines, carried 141 crew and
passengers to a new absolute around-the-world record
of 36 hours, 54 minutes, and 15 seconds at an average
speed of 623.59 mph (1003.53 km /h).The flight was sponsored by the Friendship Foundation,
with fuel donated by The Boeing Company, Pratt &
Whitney, and Volkswagon. Friendship One's "mission
control" center was manned by children at the Museum
of Flight. Passengers' contributions raised $530,000 for
children's charities around the world. Our thanks to everyone who made this historic event
happen. The Friendship Foundation Directors, Joe Clark Clay Lacy Bruce McCaw |