{"id":18471,"date":"2026-06-03T10:19:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T10:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/18471\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T10:19:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T10:19:15","slug":"airbus-tests-a350-1000ulr-for-worlds-longest-non-stop-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/18471\/","title":{"rendered":"Airbus tests A350-1000ULR for world\u2019s longest non-stop flights"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AirbusAirbus tests game-changing\u00a0A350-1000ULR. Photo: Airbus\/X<\/p>\n

Airbus has announced that the first\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0aircraft (MSN 707), part of a 12-aircraft order for Qantas Airways, has successfully completed its maiden flight in Toulouse, France, marking the world\u2019s longest range ever.<\/p>\n

Equipped with specialised flight test instrumentation, the aircraft flew for three hours and 43 minutes, reaching an altitude of just over 41,000 feet. The test flight was conducted by an Airbus flight test crew.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0is being developed for Qantas\u2019 ambitious \u201cProject Sunrise,\u201d which aims to enable non-stop commercial flights between Sydney and destinations such as New York and London for the first time. The ultra-long-haul routes are expected to span nearly 10,000 nautical miles, with flight durations of up to 22 hours.<\/p>\n

The extended range capability is made possible through structural modifications, including the integration of an additional rear centre fuel tank (RCT), which enhances fuel capacity and increases the aircraft\u2019s range by approximately 1,000 nautical miles.<\/p>\n

During the first flight, the crew conducted general performance checks and evaluated the new fuel system architecture. Airbus said this marks the beginning of a two-month flight test campaign aimed at certifying the aircraft\u2019s modifications.<\/p>\n

Kicking off a 2 month Flight Test campaign, the #A350<\/a>-1000ULR has completed its first flight! \u2708\ufe0f<\/p>\n

Equipped with an additional rear centre tank, the Ultra Long Range aircraft will enable @Qantas<\/a> to fly non-stop flights between Sydney and London or New York. https:\/\/t.co\/lLRBrheZbg<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Airbus (@Airbus) June 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The campaign will also include certification of a new galley air cooling system featuring lighter, more efficient refrigeration units designed for ultra-long-haul operations. Cabin ventilation and temperature control systems will also undergo detailed testing.<\/p>\n

Following completion of the flight test programme, MSN 707 will be retrofitted to Qantas\u2019 commercial specifications.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the second\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0for Qantas is in an advanced stage of final assembly and is expected to roll out of the paint shop in the coming days. This will be followed by cabin installation in a four-class configuration and engine integration ahead of delivery, scheduled for April 2027.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0is the latest variant in Airbus\u2019 A350 Family, joining the A350-900, A350-900ULR, and A350-1000 models. Airbus said the aircraft family continues to set benchmarks in long-haul aviation, offering reduced fuel consumption, lower carbon emissions, and enhanced passenger comfort.<\/p>\n

The manufacturer also noted that the upcoming A350F freighter variant is currently under development, with its first flight expected later this year.<\/p>\n

As of April 2026, the A350 Family has received 1,579 orders from 68 customers, with more than 700 aircraft already in service with 41 operators worldwide.<\/p>\n

Qantas has ordered 12\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0aircraft under Project Sunrise, along with 12 standard A350-1000s, to expand its long-haul fleet and reshape ultra-long-distance air travel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Airbus tests game-changing\u00a0A350-1000ULR. Photo: Airbus\/X Airbus has announced that the first\u00a0A350-1000ULR\u00a0aircraft (MSN 707), part of a 12-aircraft order…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18472,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[1985,90,1699,538,305],"class_list":["post-18471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-airbus","tag-air-travel","tag-airbus","tag-aviation","tag-global","tag-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18471"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18471\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/netherlands\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}