After 24 hours and 24 minutes without touching land, a Airbus A350-1000ULR landed this Tuesday in Toulouse. It did not carry commercial passengers, but pilots, engineers, five tons of instrumentation and more than a thousand sensors designed to record how it responded during a full day in the air. What we have seen has not been a simple demonstration of autonomy: Qantas and Airbus were testing the machine with which they want to convert some of the longest flights ever planned into regular services.
The route also does not anticipate a future commercial route for the Australian airline. The aircraft took off from Melbourne, moved northeast over the Pacific, crossed the United States and Canada, then crossed the Atlantic and descended over the United Kingdom before reaching southern France. Toulouse was the logical destination: there it is found the final assembly line of the A350 and this test aircraft was to return there. The mission was to demonstrate a block time of 23 hours, enough to cover up to 21 hours and 40 minutes of flight and preserve margin for taxiing, waiting or a possible detour.
That trip was not an isolated test. The first A350-1000ULR had taken off for the first time on June 2 and, since then, Airbus had been examining the changes introduced for the program for weeks. The company distinguishes this mission as a flight of developmentnot as a commercial service nor as a complete certification in itself. Its usefulness was in accumulating data on fuel management, cabin climate control and pilot rest compartments during a prolonged operation, before facing the necessary certifications and authorizations.
The A350-1000ULR maintains the A350-1000 as a base, but adds more fuel, a higher maximum takeoff weight and cabin systems prepared for very long duration missions.
Much of its autonomy comes from a central rear tank with a capacity of 20,900 liters, integrated into the structure of the aircraft. Incorporating it has forced the European manufacturer to modify the system that manages fuel and its transfer, because it is not enough to increase capacity without controlling how the weight and balance of the device change during the journey. This variant retains the engines Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 of the conventional A350-1000, but adds the necessary adjustments to face missions of about 22 hours with the required operating margins.
Flightradar24 recorded the arrival of the A350-1000ULR in Toulouse after more than 24 hours in the air and 16,889 kilometers traveled
Airbus did not come to this race alone. Boeing also wanted to take over the Qantas program and presented the 777-8, one of the members of the 777X family, as an alternative for ultra-long routes. The airline chose the A350-1000 as its preferred option in 2019 and formalized the order for 12 units in May 2022. Qantas highlighted its combination of commercial terms, fuel efficiency, operating costs and passenger experience, as well as the track record built by the Trent XWB engine. The 777-8 had scheduling uncertainties, although the company never presented them as the official reason for its choice.
Flying for almost an entire day is not a completely new idea. We have seen it in demonstrations like the 747-400 that Qantas took from London to Sydney in 1989in the 22 hour and 42 minute journey made by a Boeing 777-200LR in 2005 and in the tests that the airline itself organized in 2019. There are also regular services between Singapore and New York. However, those references had fewer occupants, restricted loads or lower distances. The challenge now is to turn that resistance into a viable daily trade route.
Recreation of a First suite of the future Qantas A350-1000ULR
Qantas has not attempted to maximize the aircraft’s capacity: it has opted for a low-density cabin with only 238 seats. According to the configuration presented by the companywhose designs are still subject to change, there will be six First suites, 52 Business, 40 Premium Economy and 140 Economy, including 42 Economy Plus. The airline assures that it will be the A350-1000 with the lowest seat density in service and will reserve more than 40% of them for Premium classes. That approach offers more space, but also helps balance passengers, luggage, fuel and range.
Recreation of the Business cabin of the future Qantas A350-1000ULR
The commitment to Premium cabins is especially appreciated in the front part. First will have six closed compartments, each with a six-foot bed, a separate recliner and enough space to work or eat with another person. Behind there will be 52 Business suites in a 1-2-1 configuration, all with direct access to the hallway, sliding door, completely flat bed, a large table and more storage areas. They are amenities designed so that spending nearly 20 hours on board is not simply equivalent to sitting for almost a day.
Recreation of the Premium Economy cabin of the future Qantas A350-1000ULR
The challenge will be different for those traveling behind Business. Premium Economy will have a 2-4-2 layout, approximately one meter between rowswrap-around headrests and leg support. In Economy, Qantas has opted for a 3-3-3 configuration, with 83.8 centimeters of separation in most of the cabin, lumbar support, 13.3-inch screen and USB-C connections. There will also be 42 Economy Plus seats with 34 inches of space between rows. They are small differences on paper, but they take on another dimension when the journey takes up practically an entire day.
The A350-1000ULR wellness area will allow you to walk, stretch, hydrate and have snacks
The wellness area will allow you to get up, stretch your legs, hydrate and follow exercises on the screen, while the 12 lighting scenes will change along the journey to accompany sleep, meals and adaptation to the destination time zone. Qantas plans to put all of this into service between Sydney and London in October 2027, subject to pending certifications and authorisations, with New York as the next destination. In 1947, That journey involved four days and seven stops; Project Sunrise aims to make it a single flight.
Images | Airbus
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