June 13, 2023 48N48

The Liberty Gazette

June 13, 2023

Ely Air Lines

By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

We recently wrote about John Cook and Rob Timm, who set a world record back in 1959 that still stands: flying consistently for 64 days, 22 hours, and 19 minutes, a publicity stunt for a hotel. Since Guinness World Records offers many opportunities for people to make or break records by offering a wide variety of categories, there’s plenty of room for more.

That’s probably what stoked Barry Behnfeldt when he heard that two pilots had once tried to land in all lower 48 states of the United States within 48 hours. They didn’t make their goal, but the idea landed well in Barry’s brain. He could do this to promote aviation and benefit Veteran’s Airlift Command, which provides free, private air transportation to our combat injured veterans for medical or other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.

Barry started flying at age 16 near his family’s home in Henry County, Ohio. He was working his way toward a civilian pilot career when he thought he’d like to see more of the world. The Air Force was a little slow to get it together, and after talking with a Navy recruiter, he decided that landing on an aircraft carrier sounded like a lot of fun. He flew F-18s for 17 years – a real-life Top Gun – with a total of 30 years in the Navy. Today, he is a captain with Delta Airlines. 

Barry also owns a personal airplane, a six-seat 1980 Piper Saratoga, which he thought would be an excellent choice for claiming that record, 48 states in 48 hours. He hosted a happy hour at his home, where he made his first presentation to friends. They agreed to help him in various ways, but he still needed a co-pilot and a mechanic. At Delta, Barry had flown with Aaron Wilson on several trips and was impressed by his skill, professionalism, and personality. Aaron, an Air Force veteran flying the C-17, and a fellow alumni of Bowling Green State University’s aviation program, would make the perfect co-pilot for this endeavor. The choice for mechanic was easy. Barry knew Tom Twiddy from the Navy, another 30-year career guy. Tom had wrenched on aircraft for many years and already knew Barry’s Saratoga as it’s primary care-giver for maintenance and annual inspections. 

The trio researched the rules laid out by Guinness and the FAA, studied the weather, and decided on the best route (5,008 nautical miles). They took off from Andrews University Airpark in Berrien Springs, Michigan, on June 4 and after 46 more landings, finally touched down at Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport in Sanford, Maine, 44 hours and 16 minutes later.

To earn the record, they had to get signatures from someone at each airport, the coordination of which was quite an effort. The longest leg was an hour and 34 minutes; the shortest was 9 minutes. 

For more on their exciting journey, and to learn more about Veteran’s Airlift Command, go to 48N48.org. 

ElyAirLines.blogspot.com