All,
2 very good friends of mine set out today to set 2 new transcontinental world speed records this morning.
The record was for the fasted single piston engine powered transcontinental flight.

2 records fell today at the same time and on the same day!

There are 2 official routs. The southern, San Diego CA to Jacksonville FL and the northern route San Diego CA to Charlston SC.

Both were broken. The northern route was done in 6 hrs 48 minutes by Mike Patey. I am not sure how much that record was beaten by but I understand it was at least 15 minutes.

The southern route was flown in 6 hrs 11 minutes and 54 seconds and smashed the current record previously held by a Mooney by 48 minutes and 1 second! This was done with 1 Nascar style fuel stop in TX. This was also done with only a modest average tail wind of 15-20 knots.

The story gets better,
Both pilots are flying red Lancair Super Legacy's. One with a twin turbo Cont IO550 and the other a twin turbo Lyc IO580. Both planes are very fast and can carry 100 plus gallons of fuel and are stacked with the best avionics available. I am normally not a jealous person but these planes are flat out stunning in every way and I want one...

There is more... Not only are these guys flying twin airplanes, they are also identical twin brothers...Mark and Mike Patey from Spanish Fork, Utah.

No   kidding!!!

You give me the odds on that one!!!
This will blow your mind, both of their wives are pilots....
You are probably calling BS at this point but it is all true...
Ask Gary Edward, I never lie..

Mark Patey is the pilot with the dead engine on youtube from last year who successfully brought his Legacy down from 23,000 feet in IMC/ Icing and lived to tell the tale. He was flying the southern route. Both he and Mike are excellent pilots. These guys live in their planes and are absolute pros with the stick...
Mark Patey put 348 hours on his airplane in the last six months alone...I dont think the engine ever got cold last year..

Anyway, what a day..

Attached are a few pics. I had the pleasure of flying with them yesterday while they posed for the camera for all the TV stations wanting a piece of this story...
Everyone around here is totally jazzed about these guys..
Thought I would share it withe the group.

Best...

Randy Snarr
N694RS
235/320

"Flight by machines heavier than air is unpractical and insignificant, if not utterly impossible"
-Simon Newcomb, 1902