Two men tucked in a small, cramped Cessna 172, the most successful aircraft in history, and flying for more than two months nonstop. What was life for them like during all this time?
Imagine flying nonstop for 64 days, 22 hours and 19 minutes, covering 150,000 miles (240,000 kilometers) over the desert outside Las Vegas. That’s what two pilots did in 1958, setting a world record that still stands today.
The pilots were Robert Timm and John Cook, who flew a modified Cessna 172 named Hacienda after the hotel that sponsored their attempt. They took off on December 4, 1958, and landed on February 7, 1959, after spending more than two months in the air.
How did they do it? They had a clever system of refueling and resupplying the plane by matching speed with a truck driving down a road. They also had to deal with the challenges of living in a cramped cockpit, maintaining the engine and staying sane.
The most ingenious part of their flight was how they refueled the plane. They had installed a 95-gallon belly tank to supplement the 47 gallons carried in the wings, but they still needed to refill it twice a day.
They used a truck fitted with a fuel tank and pump that would rendezvous with them over a straight stretch of closed highway. The truck would drive at about 80 mph (130 km/h) and the Cessna would fly roughly 20 feet (6 meters) off the ground.
The pilots would use an electric winch to lower a hook and snag the refueling hose that was dangling from the truck. One of them would stand on a platform outside the door and insert the hose into the belly tank, taking around three minutes to fill.
Over the course of the flight, they refueled 128 times, transferring about 12,000 gallons (45,000 liters) of fuel.
Refueling was not the only thing they needed from the ground. They also had to get food, water, oil, spare parts and other supplies.
The Hacienda Hotel prepared gourmet meals for them, but they had to be chopped up and stuffed into thermos jugs to fit through the small window of the plane. They also received sandwiches, snacks, drinks and cigarettes.
They used a similar method as refueling to get their supplies. They would lower a bucket from the plane and hook it onto a rope that was attached to the truck. The truck driver would then fill the bucket with whatever they needed and signal them to pull it up.
They also exchanged letters, newspapers, magazines and books with their ground crew to keep in touch and entertained.
The engine of the Cessna was not designed to run continuously for such a long time. It required regular maintenance and oil changes to prevent overheating and wear.
The pilots had modified the oil system to allow them to change oil and filters without shutting down the engine. They had installed an electric pump that would circulate fresh oil from a reserve tank into the engine while draining the old oil into another tank.
They also had to monitor the spark plugs, which tended to foul due to carbon buildup. They had spare plugs that they could replace in flight by opening a panel on the cowling and using a special wrench.
They also carried tools and spare parts to fix any minor problems that might arise during the flight.
One of the most frequently asked questions about their flight was how they used the toilet. The answer is simple: they didn’t have one.
They had to improvise by using plastic bottles, cans or bags that they would toss out of the window when they were over uninhabited areas. They also wore diapers for emergencies.
They tried to minimize their fluid intake and avoid foods that would upset their stomachs. They also took laxatives every few days to keep their bowels regular.
The cockpit of the Cessna was very small and cramped for two people. It measured about 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide by 3 feet (0.9 meters) high by 6 feet (1.8 meters) long.
The pilots had removed the back seats and installed a foam mattress that they could lie on when they were not flying. They also had pillows, blankets, sleeping bags and electric heaters to keep them warm.
They took turns flying and sleeping, usually in four-hour shifts. They wore headphones to communicate with each other and with their ground crew. They also had a radio that they could use to listen to music or talk shows.
They tried to keep themselves busy by reading books, playing cards, doing crossword puzzles or writing in their logbooks. They also exercised by stretching their legs or doing push-ups on the floor.
They had to cope with the boredom, fatigue, stress and isolation of their flight. They also had to deal with the noise, vibration and smell of the engine. They said that the hardest part was the last two weeks, when they were eager to land but had to wait for the weather to clear.
The main motivation for their flight was to promote the Hacienda Hotel, which was owned by an entrepreneur who wanted to attract more customers. The hotel featured prominently on the plane’s fuselage and wings, and the pilots wore Hacienda jackets and hats.
They also wanted to break the previous endurance record of 50 days, 18 hours and 30 minutes, set by two Frenchmen in a Piper Cub in 1957. They said that they were inspired by the pioneers of aviation and wanted to push the limits of human and machine performance.
They also hoped to make some money from their flight. They had a contract with the Hacienda Hotel that would pay them $1,000 for each day they stayed in the air, plus a bonus of $10,000 if they broke the record. They also expected to sell their story to magazines and newspapers.
However, they did not get as much publicity or recognition as they had hoped. Their flight coincided with the launch of NASA’s first satellites and the start of the space race, which overshadowed their achievement. They also faced some skepticism and criticism from the public and the media, who questioned the validity and value of their flight.
They did receive some awards and honors, such as a gold medal from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the world governing body for air sports, and a plaque from the Smithsonian Institution. They also donated their plane to the city of Las Vegas, where it is now on display at the airport.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4