The fastest flight under the FAI (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale) rules, which permit flights that exceed the length of the Tropic of Cancer or Capricorn (36,787.6 km or 22,858.8 miles), was one of 31 hrs 27 mins 49 secs by an Air France Concorde (Capts. Michel Dupont and Claude Hetru) from JFK airport in New York, USA eastbound via Toulouse, Dubai, Bangkok, Guam, Honolulu and Acapulco on 15 and 16 August 1995. There were 80 passengers and 18 crew on board flight AF1995.The technical crew was headed by Michel Dupont and Claude Hetru and a Police chief, approved by the International Aeronautical Federation was on board during the flight to officialise the record. The plane flew at its usual altitude of approximately 18000 m and at a cruising speed of Mach 2. This historical flight was carried out on the initiative of the lawyer Donald L Pevsner, president of "Harmony Spirit Tours". 80 passengers were on board to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Christopher Colombus.