Airbus has completed a record-breaking test flight with its special A350-1000ULR aircraft. The plane flew nonstop from Melbourne, Australia, to Toulouse, France, in 24 hours and 24 minutes. It covered 23,076 kilometres (12,460 nautical miles), the longest distance ever flown by a commercial airliner.
This aircraft is built for Qantas’ Project Sunrise. It carries an extra rear fuel tank of about 20,000 litres. This tank lets the plane fly much farther than normal models. During the flight, the jet crossed the Pacific Ocean, parts of North America, the Atlantic Ocean, and Europe. Passengers and crew saw two sunsets and two sunrises.
Engineers used the trip to check the fuel system, cabin quietness, and fresh air flow. The test proves the plane can handle very long journeys of around 22 hours. Qantas plans to use 12 of these planes for nonstop flights from Sydney to London starting in late 2027, and later to New York. These will be the world’s longest regular passenger routes.
The successful flight marks a big step toward ending the long travel times between Australia and the northern hemisphere.
