Qantas to conduct 22‑hour nonstop test for Project Sunrise from France to Australia

Airbus will conduct a historic nonstop test flight of its ultra‑long‑range A350‑1000ULR from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia, on 24 July. The flight is expected to last about 22 hours and cover roughly 17 000 km, testing the aircraft’s additional 20 000‑liter rear centre fuel tank, modified fuel system and new kitchen cooling. The jet is equipped with about five tonnes of measurement equipment, more than 1 000 sensors and heat‑dummy passenger simulators to monitor fuel consumption, temperature, pressure, ventilation and structural loads throughout the mission.

The test supports Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which aims to launch nonstop services from Sydney to London and New York by October 2027. Qantas has ordered 12 of the customised A350‑1000ULR models, with the first delivery scheduled for April 2027 and the test aircraft expected to join the airline’s fleet after certification by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The airline has also been using its seasonal Perth‑Rome route, which has recorded load factors above 90 %, to gauge demand for ultra‑long‑haul flights.

Successful completion of the test will demonstrate the feasibility of flights lasting almost a full day without refuelling, paving the way for the planned nonstop Australia‑Europe and Australia‑North America routes.