Boeing’s 737-based Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) has set a speed record while flying from Los Angeles to Auckland for installation of a VIP interior, Boeing says.
The modified 737-700, owned by Korean electronics giant Samsung, made the 10,479km trip in 13 hours, seven minutes and 54 seconds, marginally faster than commercial airlines typically travel the route. The flight, monitored by the National Aeronautic Association in Washington, set a record for “speed over a recognised course,” Boeing said.
The Samsung-owned BBJ is equipped with seven auxiliary fuel tanks and features a cabin altitude of 6,500ft as compared with the standard 8,000ft cabin, which Boeing says contributes to greater passenger comfort.
The aircraft was flown to New Zealand for installation of its interior by Altitude Aerospace Interiors, an Air New Zealand subsidiary.
The 737-based BBJ is the best selling model in Boeing’s business jet line-up, with 157 sold to date.
