Friday, November 26, 2010
Most miles travelled by a passenger - Fred Finn set world record
KOMSOMOLSK, Ukraine--After clocking up a staggering 15 million miles and 718 Concorde flights - to 139 countries Fred Finn, 70, sets the new world record for the Most miles travelled by a passenger.
Photo: Fred Finn, who set the world record for the Most miles travelled by a passenger, has made 718 flights on Concorde, including three in a single day. (enlarge photo)
He caught the travelling bug at 18 when he took his first flight from an airfield in Hampshire to New York.
Retired international licence manager Fred, who lives with in the Ukrainian village of Komsomolsk with wife Alla, 35, boarded his first flight aged 18.
Fred went on to work for an American licencing company and travelled the world building international relations.
Fred has since spent 52 years travelling the globe, during which he has covered 15million miles - the equivalent of travelling to the moon and back 31 times.
He has kept a detailed log of every flight and train journey he has taken, which he had counter-signed by each driver and pilot to verify his achievement.
Fred also holds the record for the most trips aboard Concorde, having notched up an impressive 718 flights - on which he always sat in the same seat. 'I always sat in seat 9a because I realised that is the one which they start serving the food and drink from.'
'If I caught Concorde in New York in the morning I could connect in London in the afternoon for the Kenya flight and be at my desk in Nairobi for breakfast,' he added. 'I also hold the record of three flights on Concorde in one day.
Fred estimates that his overall travel bill - much of which has been footed by companies he has worked for - has smashed the £2million barrier, having boarded thousands of flights.
Fred was awarded the Guinness World Record for 'the most miles travelled as a passenger' in 1983, when he had clocked up over seven million miles.
Fred estimates he has flown across the Atlantic over 2,000 times and visited Africa on 600 occasions.
Today Fred said he has no intention of slowing down - and plans to visit THE MOON. He said: 'Seeing as I've travelled to most of the earth, I have started looking further afield. I'd be really keen to explore as soon as the opportunity arises.'
Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the Fastest Time to visit All Sovereign Countries, set by Kashi Samaddar (India), who visited all 194 United Nations member countries in 6 years 10 months and 7 days.
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to solo airplane and helicopters on same day - Errick Smith
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around the world flight - Caroll Ann Garratt and Carol Foy
Fastest
coast to coast round trip - US pilots
Fastest
team flight around the world - Swiss Pilots
Fastest
transcontinental flight in a LSA - Matt Hansen and Jessica Scharle
Longest
Cluster Balloon Flight - Jonathan Trappe
Longest
distance flight in a helium balloon - David Hempleman
Longest
distance flown in an autogyro - Norman Surplus
Friday, November 26, 2010
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