A brand new El Al Bristol Britannia set a new transatlantic crossing record for commercial aircraft this week-end covering 3,507 miles in eight hours and three minutes, the line announced here last night. The previous record, set by a DC-7C at the British Overseas Airways Corporations last summer was eight hours and 26 minutes.
The El Al plane, one of four purchased by the Israeli national airline, averaged 430 miles an hour in a New York to London run. The flight was the third of four familiarization runs carried out in advance of the inauguration of El Al’s Britannia flights between New York and London beginning December 23.
The plane was handled by Capt. Tom Jones, El Al’s flight superintendent, and Capt. Zvi Tohar, chief pilot of the line. Capt. Jones said after the flight that the plane could have travelled much faster.
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