Record-Breaking Flight: Sky-High Endurance Feat

In the late '50s, a wild Las Vegas marketing scheme turned daring aviation stunt, set a record that still stands today. Organizer Warren "Doc" Bayley of Hacienda Hotel, needing to hype his Vegas property amidst mafia-run Strip chaos, backed a bold plan. Robert Timm and John Wayne Cook piloted a Cessna 172 nonstop for 64 days, refueling mid-air from a speeding Ford truck. Facing the pitch-black sky and mechanical failures, they flew over 150,000 miles, an act of near madness and brilliance, mirroring Vegas's audacious spirit.