The first Airbus A350-1000 Ultra Long Range landed in Melbourne this Friday following an extended test flight from Toulouse, France. This milestone marks a decisive step forward in the flight test campaign to launch non-stop commercial operations between Sydney and London with Qantas in October 2027.
Technical Evaluation and Extended Range Capacity
The test flight from the European manufacturer’s facilities in Toulouse was commanded by a flight deck crew comprising four Airbus pilots and five flight engineers. During the 19-hour and 11-minute operation, the crew meticulously evaluated the aircraft’s systems performance, including the additional 20,000-liter fuel tank—a key feature enabling non-stop commercial flights of up to 22 hours.
This prototype completed its maiden flight on June 2, 2026. Over the following weeks, specialized Airbus teams conducted continuous ground and flight testing in Toulouse, verifying components such as the redesigned fuel system.
The return leg to France is scheduled to depart Melbourne on Monday, July 27. As part of the integration program, two Qantas pilots will join the Airbus crew to actively participate in the return flight.
→ Qantas Reveals Cabin Configuration for its A350-1000ULR “Project Sunrise” Flights
Project Sunrise and Qantas’s Ultra Long Range Fleet
The Airbus A350-1000ULR was specifically designed and built to meet the operational requirements of the Australian carrier’s Project Sunrise. In total, Qantas will add 12 aircraft of this variant to its fleet.
Service Configuration and Operational Details
- Interior Capacity: Each aircraft will be configured to carry 238 passengers across four cabin classes.
- Time Efficiency: Non-stop flights between Sydney and London will reduce total travel time by up to four hours compared to the fastest single-stop routing currently available.
- Network Complementarity: These flagship routes will operate alongside Qantas’s existing services, such as the Perth–London and Sydney–Singapore–London sectors.
- Ticket Sales: Ticket sales for the initial scheduled Sydney–London frequencies will open in February 2027.
Production Status and the Arrival of “Vega”
Construction of the first A350-1000ULR painted in the airline’s corporate livery—named Vega—is progressing on the Airbus final assembly line (FAL). This unit will become the first Project Sunrise aircraft formally delivered to Qantas, scheduled for April 2027.
The aircraft’s successful arrival on Australian soil confirms steady progress in the certification campaign under real-world flight conditions. With the inclusion of Qantas crew members for the return journey to Toulouse, Airbus and the airline are entering the final preparation phase to establish civil aviation’s longest scheduled non-stop commercial flights.
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