en.Wedoany.com Reported - Qantas' first Airbus A350-1000ULR ultra-long-range widebody aircraft is scheduled to conduct a test flight from Toulouse to Melbourne next week, covering approximately 10,500 miles (16,900 kilometers) and expected to take 22 hours. This will be one of the longest test flights ever performed by Airbus.

The aircraft used for this test, MSN 707 (F-WULR), is the first of 12 A350-1000ULRs ordered by Qantas and serves as the core aircraft for "Project Sunrise." It completed its maiden flight six weeks ago on June 2, with a flight time of less than four hours. This test flight is planned to depart from Airbus' Toulouse facility on July 23 and arrive in Melbourne on July 24, with an expected landing around 11:00 a.m. local time. The flight distance is 10,560 miles (16,995 kilometers), only slightly shorter than Qantas' planned first commercial route for this aircraft (Sydney to London Heathrow, 10,573 miles or approximately 17,016 kilometers). Therefore, this flight will provide Airbus and Qantas with a thorough understanding of the aircraft's performance on real long-haul routes.

Airbus states that the maximum range of the A350-1000ULR is approximately 11,160 miles (18,000 kilometers). This test aircraft is not carrying regular passengers but is equipped with 5 tons of custom flight test instrumentation, including over 1,000 sensors connected by kilometers of cables within the cabin. Certification testing for the A350-1000ULR is expected to accumulate 75 to 80 flight hours over about two months, with this ultra-long test flight accounting for more than a quarter of the total test time. Since its maiden flight in early June, the aircraft has conducted a series of shorter flights in Europe, including circling tests around Cardiff. There are indications that the aircraft may need to perform test flights exceeding 23 hours to verify its ability to complete the 22-hour Sydney-London route with a safety margin, which is crucial for handling holding patterns during operational disruptions.

The second route under Qantas' "Project Sunrise" will be Sydney to New York, covering approximately 9,950 miles (16,010 kilometers). The A350-1000ULR will prioritize these two routes departing from Sydney, gradually replacing Boeing 787 services on the Perth-London and Auckland-New York routes. Qantas has confirmed London as the first destination for "Project Sunrise," with the Sydney-London direct flight scheduled to launch in October 2027, and tickets expected to go on sale in February 2027. Once operational, Sydney-London will become the world's longest regular passenger flight, exceeding the current record holder (Singapore Airlines' Singapore-New York direct flight) by over 1,000 miles.

To address the challenges of the 22-hour ultra-long flight for crew and passengers, Qantas has configured its A350-1000ULR with only 238 seats, the lowest seat density among all A350-1000s globally. The cabin includes 6 first-class suites, 52 business suites, 40 premium economy recliners, and 140 economy seats (42 of which are in a new "Economy Plus" area). Additionally, a "Wellbeing Zone" will be located between premium economy and economy, featuring stretching handles with on-screen exercise programs and hydration stations. Qantas will receive a total of 12 A350-1000ULRs, with the first delivery scheduled for April 2027.