Qantas releases images of ultra long-range Airbus aircraft
These specially configured A350-1000ULRs are expected to enable the world’s longest commercial flights.
Qantas
of Australia Qantas The first specially configured images appeared on Friday Airbus The aircraft set that will enable the world’s longest commercial flights.
A350-1000ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft described The fuselage sections, wings, tail section and landing gear are all now installed on the assembly line in Toulouse, France.
Qantas said the aircraft, designed to connect passengers in Sydney to London and New York for the first time, will be moved to a new hangar this week where engines and flight test equipment will be installed.
The transfer comes ahead of an extensive test flight program starting next year, with the first commercial flights planned for the first half of 2027.
Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson said the progress brings “Project Sunrise” one step closer to reality. The project name is a reference to the airline’s “Double Sunrise” endurance flights during World War II, which stayed airborne long enough to see two sunrises.
Qantas and Airbus released the first images of the A350-1000ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft.
Qantas
Qantas said the A350-1000ULR aircraft will have the ability to fly continuously for up to 22 hours, thanks to an additional 20,000-litre rear center fuel tank and improved systems.
Compared to one-stop services for passengers flying from Australia to the US or UK today, direct services are expected to cut total travel time by up to four hours.
Ultra-long-haul flights, which usually mean journeys longer than 16 hours, have become technically possible thanks to more efficient engines and aircraft, but they face other challenges. For example, analysts have expressed concerns about passenger comfort as well as the environmental impact of these flights.
Shares in Qantas fell 6.5 per cent on Friday to a six-month low as guidance disappointed investors. Airline in question It expected domestic revenue to rise roughly 3% in the first half of next year; this was at the lower end of the guidance range provided in the previous forecast.
Meanwhile, Paris-listed Airbus shares were slightly lower in early morning trading. The stock is up more than 35% year-to-date.
