JetEx Flight Support was today enjoying the thanks of world record breakers for enabling them to set a new mark for circumnavigation of the globe.

Tom Zorman, who headed mission control for Swiss aviator Riccardo Mortara and his crew, told JetEx: “We knew from the very beginning that we would win or lose our chance to set the world record on the ground. You made sure that there was not even the smallest possibility of anything going wrong.”

Riccardo Mortara (62) co-captain Gabriel Mortara (28) and co-pilot Flavien Guderzo (26) set the record for the fastest flight around the world in a 9,000 to 12,000 kg aircraft. They had to add a 12th leg to their trip after plans to land in Keflavik, Iceland, were aborted due to a volcanic eruption. But JetEx did not allow even this enforced dramatic switch of itinerary to have any impact on service.

Zorman says: “It was the most impressive demonstration of the JetEx capability to support any aircraft, any request, any time and at any corner of the globe we flew in some 58 hours.” JetEx organized the flight support for the whole trip including overfly and landing permits, slot, fuel and ground handling at all locations.

The world record breaker’s aircraft, a 1980 Sabreliner 65, took off from Geneva at 06:12 UTC on Friday morning, flew east, and returned Sunday at 16:06 UTC, completing the 36,770 km minimum distance in 57 hours 54 minutes. The average speed around the world was 647km/h. The aircraft is part of Sonnig’s six-aircraft fleet is based in Geneva, Torino and Moscow.

Mortara says: “This is the first time a record has been set in this weight class with refueling stops and beats pioneering pilot Steve Fossett’s time of 67 hours and one minute which was achieved without stops in the state-of-the-art VirginFlyer in 2006.” A secondary target was to beat golfer Arnold Palmer’s 1978 record of 57 hours 26 minutes, which he set in a Learjet 36 – a plane in a lighter weight category than Mortara’s elderly Sabreliner.

JetEx points out that its fuelling services can be found both at major hubs and out-of-the-way locations. Our 24-hour team works to meet all client needs and it is this record and philosophy that led the world record breakers to rely on us.”

Source: JetEx