On Top of the World with 113 MT of Fuel
November 1, 2021
Ready for Liftoff
The Airbus 350-900 ULR hammered down runway 22 R using lots of its 11,000 feet. We lifted off from Newark towards southern skies. A quick turn pointed us due north.
We were sledding to Santa’s territory. Head straight north-0 degrees heading towards the top of the globe. Up the Hudson River and past Montreal.
Looking out at more black ground than white snow on northern reaches of Greenland.
Narsaq greeted us as the last town before the empty space of the North Pole.
Ice Cream over the North Pole
We pushed towards the northern reaches of the North Pole at 88 degree latitude. Salmon fillet with corn and garbanzo beans was washed down with champagne. Chocolate Haagen Danz ice cream warmed us.
A three hour period of no country or territory but Santa’s home. The Arctic vastness mixes a build up of military, an oil fight, new icebreaker technology and an assortment of countries with sovereign, passage and resource claims; and a more watery border between Canada and Russia.
Another 12 hours to fly. We were using a 25 km tail wind to move us over ice, the Arctic Sea and finally tundra.
Heading South
At last the Northern shores of Russia near Noril’sk welcomed us from our frigid solitude. Chocolate bars, trail mix, fruits, Masala wraps and wheat crisps helped the passage.
Siberia was below. We moved past the steppes of Mongolia. China greeted us with Chengdu and over south Kunming. Pan fried prawns in brown butter sauce flavored the cabin. Tiramisu was offered.
Equatorial Beverages
A tropical Singapore Sling mocktail was offered with the 10 other beverages of choice on the menu.
Then we blew past Laos, down central Thailand past Bangkok into the gulf of Siam then skirting the lower east coast of Malaysia at 41,000 feet.
Barges, ships, crane boats floated below in the maritime channels of Singapore. We were exhausted. Our Airbus 350 friend with 113 MT of fuel was also tired.
Landing Zone
We landed having covered almost 1/2 the globe, visiting 10 countries, passing around 3 oceans in 17:12 hours.
This moma did not stop anywhere. You reach a zone where it didn’t matter nor do you care. Your body feels the all day flight. We had no night. Over the pole you feel the Arctic cold. Good news for nervous flyers-turbulence is much less near North Pole.
Marathon of Flight
So instead of running a marathon, we flew a marathon of 9,787 miles.
Bye bye civilization. Somewhere above Greenland entering Arctic Ocean.
The globe is your home. Taking the shortcut to Asia. Flying forever.