Originally Posted by
C11DCA
I'll take that bet.
Iberia blocks MAD-IAD at 9:10 during the summer and that is only 3300nm.
Even if you use a 4000nm range as a realistic limit (vs the 4700nm advertised) that equates to roughly 11 hours of block westbound.
3300nm/9.15 hours block x 11 hours =3967nm.
winter winds would of course shorten the range, but if it truly can do 4700nm with reserves then over 10 hour flights would be possible year round.
I used to regularly fly the 757 from Madrid to Dulles in the summer. A normal flight had a weight restriction, not for takeoff performance but to keep the enroute burn down, and would arrive in Dulles with 1:15 - 1:20 fuel remaining. If an alternate was needed, it would have a huge weight restriction (like 50+ passengers) to meet the fuel requirements. I never had to stop for gas, but it sometimes happened.
Of course we would take off with totally full fuel tanks.