The Airbus A350-1000ULR being developed for Qantas’ Project Sunrise programme has completed what is believed to be one of, if not the longest-duration non-stop flight undertaken by a commercial-type jet airliner.
The widebody, F-WULR (c/n 707), the aircraft touched down at Toulouse/Blagnac on July 28 after an eastbound flight from Melbourne lasting 24hrs 25mins, according to Flightradar24 data.
Rather than following the shortest route between Australia and southern France, the twinjet headed northeast across the Pacific Ocean before continuing over North America and the Atlantic.
The marathon test surpassed the 22hrs 42mins achieved by a Boeing 777-200LR during its record-breaking Hong Kong-London flight in November 2005 by 1hr 43mins.
That aircraft travelled eastbound across the Pacific and Atlantic, covering 11,664 nautical miles (21,601km). Boeing described the journey at the time as a world record for the greatest distance flown non-stop by a commercial aeroplane.
However, Airbus and Qantas have not yet released the distance covered by F-WULR or announced whether a formal record claim will be submitted. The latest flight can therefore be described as exceeding the Boeing’s duration, but it is not yet clear whether it also surpassed its distance record.
The journey also comfortably exceeded the previous Airbus endurance benchmark established by the A340-200 prototype World Ranger. That aircraft completed an Auckland-Paris flight in 21hrs 46mins in June 1993.
F-WULR had arrived in Melbourne on July 24 following a 19hrs 13mins non-stop flight from Toulouse. The return journey was intended to expose the aircraft and its systems to an exceptionally long operating cycle as part of its certification campaign.
The A350-1000ULR incorporates an additional 20,000-litre rear centre fuel tank, increasing its range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles compared with the standard A350-1000. Airbus says the variant is designed to operate commercial sectors lasting up to 22 hours and covering almost 10,000 nautical miles.
Testing is focused on the modified fuel system, including its pumps, gauges, pressure systems and fuel-transfer sequencing, as well as cabin ventilation, temperature control and a new galley cooling system.
Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs for Project Sunrise, which will enable the airline to operate non-stop services linking Australia’s east coast with London and New York.
