Museum Celebrates Centennial of First Global Flight Sept. 26-29

SEATTLE, Sept. 6, 2024—On Sept. 26-29 the Museum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first successful global flight with special aircraft fly-ins and programs, plus tours and rides in one of only two flyable B-29s, FIFI. The famous flight began and ended in Seattle, so the Museum is partnering with the local First World Flight Centennial and Friends of Magnuson Park. Over a dozen aircraft representing decades of around-the-world record flights will be flown to the Museum and be on view in the parking lot. The adventurous pilots of these planes will be on hand to meet Museum visitors, plus there will be global flight lectures and films. A full schedule is online, and events are free with admission to the Museum.

World Flight Centennial Celebration at the Museum

B-29 FIFI Tours and Rides 

Sept. 25-29

FIFI is the world's most famous, flying B-29, and it will be visiting the Museum Sept. 25-29. During this time there will be a limited number of flights and tours available for purchase through AirPower History Tour. Access to the East Parking Lot is free to the public. This event does not include admission to the Museum. 

Adventure and Vintage Aircraft Takeoffs and Landings 

Sept. 28, 1-4 p.m.

The aircraft on display Sept. 26-29 will takeoff and join up for a commemorative flyover for the Centennial event at Magnuson Park on the 28th, and they will return to the Museum after the flyover. More information on this event here: www.firstworldflightcentennial.org

Featured Aircraft and Pilot 

Gulfstream Turbo Commander 900 with renowned global pilot Robert DeLaurentis. Achievements include: Pole to pole around-the-world.

On Sept. 29 there will be a screening of Peace Pilot, a documentary about Robert DeLaurentis' pole to pole flight in 2020. Q&A with DeLaurentis will follow the film.

Adventure Aircraft and Pilots

Bonanza P35 V-tail — pilot Adrian Eichhorn.

Achievements include: Solo circumnavigation (eastbound), solo flight over the North Pole.

Lancair IV (homebuilt) — pilot Bill Harrelson.

Achievements include: Solo circumnavigations over the North and South poles and westbound around the world.  Set speed record for both in class C1d. C1d world record for distance - 8,114SM.

Lancair Columbia 300 — pilot Harry R Anderson.

Achievements include: Two solo circumnavigations (eastbound and westbound), solo flight over the North Pole, solo flights to 7 continents.

Long-EZ (homebuilt) — pilot Patrick Elliot and partner Linda Walker.

Achievements include: Flights to 6 continents.

Mooney M20J — pilot CarolAnn Garratt and co-PICCarol Foy.

Achievements include: Three circumnavigations. World record for fastest circumnavigation in this class of airplane.

RV-9A (homebuilt) — pilot John Koehler.

Achievements include: Solo circumnavigation (Eastbound).

Cessna 210 Centurion — pilot Ed Galkin.

Achievements include: Four circumnavigations.

Vintage Aircraft

B-29 Bomber FIFI— Built by Boeing in Renton, and one of two B-29's flying today. Owned by the Commemorative Air Force.

Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket Miss Veedol — pilots Tim Moomaw and Greg Brizendine.

Achievements include: In, 1931Clyde Pangborn, pilot and Hugh Herndon, copilot were the first to cross the Pacific non-stop. (Misawa, Japan to Wenatchee, Wash.)

Cessna 180

In a Cessna 180, Jerrie Mack became the first woman to fly around in the world in 1964.

Navy N2S Stearman

In 1999, pilot Robert Ragozzino became the first person to fly around the world in an open cockpit since 1924.

Piper Apache

In this type of aircraft in 1964, Joan Merriam Smith flew equatorially, and solo, around the world.

Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser

In 1947, two pilots (Clifford Evans and Geroge Truman, circled the globe in their two Piper Super Cruisers, covering 35,897 kilometers (22,436 miles), the first time light personal aircraft accomplished such a feat.

First Global Flight Info

During the early 1920s the challenge of flying around the world was as daunting and exciting as the space race to the Moon in the 1960s. The 1924 first world flight began and ended at Seattle’s Magnuson Park; it lasted 175 days, made 74 stops and covered 26,363 miles. It was a mammoth American military operation with elite crews and four specially designed airplanes (one named Seattle) that created a sensation wherever they went.

Image: Douglas World Cruiser at Seattle, 1924. The Clyde Pangborn Collection/The Museum of Flight