An Airbus A350-1000ULR test flight completed a record-breaking journey lasting 24 hours and 24 minutes from Melbourne, Australia to Toulouse, France. This milestone marks significant progress for Qantas' Project Sunrise initiative, which aims to launch the world's longest nonstop commercial passenger services connecting Australia with Europe and North America.
Key Takeaways
A specially adapted Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft completed a record-breaking 24-hour nonstop test flight from Melbourne, Australia to Toulouse, France. This marks progress for Qantas' Project Sunrise aiming to launch the world's longest commercial passenger services.
- Airbus A350 flew 24 hours and 24 minutes covering 14,338 miles
- Flight was second-most-tracked ever on Flightradar24 with 3.6 million viewers
- Qantas plans nonstop Sydney-London flights starting October 2027 using this aircraft
- The plane can carry 20,000 liters of fuel and seat up to 238 passengers
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 3 publishers report consistent facts across 4 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight Duration | Broad Agreement | 24 hours 24 minutes nonstop | |
| Distance Covered | Broad Agreement | 14,338 miles (23,075 km) | |
| Previous Record Flight Duration | Broad Agreement | 22 hours 42 minutes by Boeing 777-200LR in 2005 | |
| Aircraft Fuel Capacity | Broad Agreement | 20,000 liters of fuel |
Flight Duration
Broad Agreement24 hours 24 minutes nonstop
Distance Covered
Broad Agreement14,338 miles (23,075 km)
Previous Record Flight Duration
Broad Agreement22 hours 42 minutes by Boeing 777-200LR in 2005
Aircraft Fuel Capacity
Broad Agreement20,000 liters of fuel
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The specially adapted aircraft covered approximately 14,338 miles without stopping before landing at Airbus' factory in Toulouse. This flight surpassed the previous record of 22 hours and 42 minutes set by a Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner in 2005 between Hong Kong and London.
According to Flightradar24, this test flight became the second-most-tracked journey on its platform with over 3.6 million viewers following its progress northward via Canada, only behind a 2024 flight carrying Queen Elizabeth II's coffin. Qantas has ordered twelve of these modified A350-1000ULR aircraft designed to connect Australia's east coast with London and New York in about 20 hours.
The first aircraft is scheduled for delivery in April 2027, carrying a capacity of 20,000 liters of fuel and seating up to 238 passengers. Qantas plans to operate daily nonstop flights between Sydney and London starting from October 2027.
This project aims to transform long-haul travel by eliminating stopovers on what was once a five-day journey known as the 'Kangaroo Route' to London, reducing it to a single flight lasting 19-21 hours depending on routing and winds. Airbus has been conducting a two-month test campaign on this aircraft since June.
How this summary was created
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