- The aircraft flew for three hours 43 minutes.
- It reached altitudes above 41,000 feet.
- The rear centre tank increases range by 1,000 nautical miles.
- Qantas ordered 12 A350-1000ULR aircraft.
- First delivery occurs in April 2027.
- The testing campaign lasts two months.
- The aircraft completes around 80 hours of flight testing.
- Engineers conduct on-ground checks and component certification.
- The flights prepare non-stop routes to London and New York.
Airbus has completed the maiden test flight of its Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000ULR in Toulouse. The flight marks the start of a two-month testing campaign. The aircraft will complete around 80 hours of flight testing.
Engineers perform extensive on-ground checks and certification of new components. These components enable the A350 to fly ultra long haul sectors. The tests prepare for commercial flights that connect Australia’s east coast to London and New York non-stop.
. Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft to operate non-stop flights between Sydney and London. The test flight lasted three hours 43 minutes and reached an altitude above 41,000 feet.
Engineers fitted the aircraft with special instrumentation and tested the new rear centre tank that adds 1,000 nautical miles to the range. The programme includes certification of a new galley air cooling system. MSN 707 will undergo retrofitting after the test campaign.
The second aircraft has reached an advanced stage of assembly. Qantas expects delivery of the first A350-1000ULR in April 2027. The A350 family has secured 1,579 orders to date.
