Rockwell-Standard Corporation wanted to dramatically demonstrate that its "Jet
Commander" aircraft was the finest business jet airplane ever built. William F. Rockwell Jr.
its President sought four pilots to make a world record flight round-the-world. The
co-captains selected for their varying backgrounds were:
Karl Keller - highly trained engineer and test pilot
Dick Merrill - outstanding pilot
Fred Austin - air pioneering pilot
Arthur Godfrey - devoted his private and public life to aviation and its advancement
After the flight at the TWA Terminal at La Guardia Airport in New York, the four
pilots boasted of the safety and reliability of business jet aircraft and more specifically
of the "Jet Commander." It flew over 23,000 miles in all kinds of weather and temperature
variations by four men of varying backgrounds. The crew of four and the "Jet Commander"
actually did it, set 21 world records in 55H 30M flying time round-the-world.
Godfrey documented this round-the-world flight by signing an air mail cover that he
mailed on June 8, 1966, the day after they returned to La Guardia.