After a full day of continuous flight, an Airbus A350-1000ULR test aircraft, specially modified, successfully landed in Toulouse, France on Tuesday, July 28th, completing a record-breaking marathon-style test flight.
This aircraft flew directly from Melbourne, Australia to France, covering a distance of 23,075 kilometers (14,339 miles) in a non-stop flight lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes, setting a new record for the longest flight time and distance ever flown by a commercial aircraft.
The journey across three continents, two oceans, and experiencing two sunsets and sunrises broke the record set by a Boeing 777-200LR in 2005 flying from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes (21,601.7 kilometers). This extreme test flight has garnered intense global aviation enthusiasts’ interest, with the flight tracking platform Flightradar24 reporting that over 3.6 million users tracked its trajectory as it flew northward through Canada, making it the second most-watched flight in the platform’s history.
This test flight marks a significant milestone in Qantas’ highly anticipated “Project Sunrise.” The project, in preparation for nearly nine years, aims to reduce mid-flight stopovers and open the world’s longest commercial air route, shortening the previously five-day journey on the “Kangaroo Route” to London to a single flight lasting only 19 to 21 hours.
The designation “ULR” in the A350-1000ULR test aircraft model stands for “Ultra Long Range.” This model has an additional 20,000-liter fuel tank installed in the rear center, significantly increasing its endurance. The aircraft carried a total of twelve crew members on board, including eight Airbus test crew members, two Qantas pilots, and two Airbus engineers.
The test team focused on examining the structural design around the additional fuel tank, improvements in reducing cabin noise, and the aircraft’s air circulation system.
During the outbound test last week, the aircraft flew from Toulouse to Melbourne via the Indian Ocean, taking about 19 hours and 12 minutes for the 17,000-kilometer flight. The return journey this time precisely simulated the future commercial operating route.
Qantas has officially ordered twelve modified A350-1000ULR aircraft, each capable of carrying 238 passengers, with the first delivery expected in April 2027.
Qantas plans to launch daily direct flights from Sydney to London starting in October 2027, followed by direct services between Sydney and New York.