On this day in aviation history, the 50-year-old Uli Dembinski broke his own world record in his Yak 55 "Theo" while listening to AC/DC's song "Highway to Hell. He managed to do 333 (three hundred and thirty-three!) subsequent loopings in his 400 horsepower aircraft while flying between 1000 and 1300 meters altitude. When asked if he felt dizzy he said he didn't feel dizzy, but compared the feeling to stepping ashore after spending some time aboard a ship at sea.
A Yak 55
After 303 loopings a quick fuel stop was necessary, 81 loopings already past his previous record! During the record attempt the biggest challenge, according to Uli Dembinski was keeping the engine temperature within limits and coping with the G loading which peaked at 5 G's during the attempt. Newspaper articles on the event reported that the cockpit temperature reached 80 degrees Celsius during the record attempt. We have been unable to get confirmation on this fact. Even with "uncertainties" about the temperature in the cockpit a very impressive record!
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