Are there any jets, or planes that can fly upside down for any length of distance? (like 1000 miles)?

Question

Are there any jets, or planes that can fly upside down for any length of distance? (like 1000 miles)?

Answer 1

They only time I read of pilots flying inverted for any period of time (no where near 1,000 miles) were RAF pilots ferrying Harriers to Ascension Island and then onward to the carriers during the Falklands War of 1982.  It was not uncommon for the tanker crew to see one of the Harriers upside down.  The pilot was literally taking a load off their butt.  

Between April 30 and May 5, eight Sea Harriers flew around 4,000 miles from England to Ascension Island.  Flights lasted around 9 hours.  

On June 1 1982 two Harriers flew 8 hrs 25 minutes to land on the Hermes.  That is a long time to fly in a fighter cockpit.

Don't recall my source of the Harrier pilots flying upside down, but they did within the time limit of the Harriers.

Answer 2

All aircraft can fly upside down. it takes an exceptionally talented pilot to do it for a long period of time.

When flying upside down, a pilot can  lose his sense of direction and think he is flying right side up. when he pulls back on the stick it will drive him straight into the ground, (# 6 Blue Angel 1996, Thunderbird # 4 1997, Snowbird # 2 1999).

It is not recommended for novice pilots to do this.

If an attempt of this is to be done, the best aircraft to do it in, (in my opinion), would be the F/A 18 D Super Hornet.

Answer 3

planes can fly upside down as long as they want... which isn't long cause the blood goes to the pilots head

Answer 4

Advanced aerobatic aircraft can do this.  But few others, including modern military fighters (the F-16 was limited to 30 seconds if I remember right).

The problem is having an inverted fuel and oil system, particularly the oil.  Lubrication is picked up from the sump, generally located on the bottom of the engine, with no flop tube or inverted pick-up; the engine will quickly have no lubrication and seize.

Fuel tanks typically have a flop tube that goes to the bottom of the tank, whichever side that's on.

Answer 5

You will quickly learn exactly how dirty the floor of your airplane is the moment you sustain inverted flight.

An airplane needs to have an inverted oil system to sustain flying upside down for any length of distance. Without this specially designed system, the engine would not receive sufficient lubrication and would subsequently seize up rather quickly.

Answer 6

i know it is impolite to respond to a question with a question, but i have to ask: why?