Barris and Riedel fly 1008 hrs

 1949 Bill Barris and Dick Riedel fly 1008 hours and 1 minute

A Aronca Sedan was chosen by pilots Bill Barris and Dick Riedel for their attempt to set a time aloft record in 1949. Their flight was sponsored by the local chamber of commerce and the Sunkist growers association, the second sponsor accounting for the naming of the aircraft as the Sunkist Lady.

(The accompanying support aircraft, also a Sedan, was called the Lady’s Maid.)

Departing from the Fullerton, California, Municipal Airport on March 15, the flight crossed the United States to Miami, Florida, where bad weather forced the pilots to circle for 14 days before making the return trip to Fullerton. Along the way, fuel and food were passed from vehicles on the ground to the pilots during low passes over airport runways.

Having reached Fullerton on April 11, the pilots kept flying around the local area until April 26, finally landing at Fullerton Municipal Airport and setting a record of over 1,008 hours, or 42 days, in the air.

The Fullerton record was short lived. Inspired by the flight at Fullerton, later in 1949, Yuma, Arizona, decided to sponsor its own time aloft record attempt.

The city needed publicity as it was experiencing economic hard times due to the 1946 closure of Yuma Army Air Field. Pilots Woody Jongeward and Bob Woodhouse piloted the City of Yuma, a Sedan borrowed from local owners, modified for the flight and painted with the slogan, “The City with a Future.”

The flight began on August 24, with the aircraft remaining in the Yuma area throughout, and ended after more than 1,124 hours, or nearly 47 days in the air, on October 10.

The "City of Yuma" airplane is now on display at a museum in Yuma.

General characteristics
Crew: one pilot
Capacity: three passengers
Length: 25 ft 3 in (7.7 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 6 in (11.4 m)
Height: 10 ft 4 in (3.1 m)
Wing area: 200 ft² (18.6 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 4412
Empty weight: 1,170 lb (531 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,050 lb (930 kg)
Useful load: 880 lb (399 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,050 lb (930 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Continental C-145-2 piston engine, 145 hp (108 kW)

Performance
Never exceed speed: 139 mph (224 km/h)
Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h)
Cruise speed: 105 mph (169 km/h)
Stall speed: 53 mph (85.3 km/h)
Range: 400 mi (644 km)
Service ceiling: 12,400 ft (3,780 m)
Rate of climb: 650 ft/min (3.30 m/s)
Wing loading: 10.3 lb/ft² (50 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 14.1 lb/hp (8.6 kg/kW)

Source: Wikipedia