April 12,Qantas' first Airbus A350-1000ULR ultra-long-range passenger aircraft used in "Project Sunrise" rolled off the assembly line in Toulouse, France, and entered the ground and flight testing stages.The aircraft is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2026 and will officially fly direct flights from Sydney to London and New York in the spring of 2027. This marks that Qantas' global ultra-long-haul aviation project that was delayed by the epidemic has entered the final stage.
This passenger aircraft, with the test registration number F-WZNK, has completed the installation of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engine. The original color of the fuselage composite material is exposed, and the final paint has not yet been sprayed.
It will then carry out ground and flight tests lasting about two months.After passing the verification, it will fly to Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, where it will first be used on Qantas short- and medium-haul routes for crew training in preparation for ultra-long-haul operations.
It is understood that "Project Sunrise" is a milestone project launched by Qantas in 2017, aiming to open up uninterrupted routes from the east coast of Australia to the European and American continents.
The project was delayed due to the epidemic and supply chain issues. In May 2022, Qantas officially ordered 12 Airbus A350-1000ULRs, beating Boeing to become the exclusive model of the project.
This is the first of 12 orders to be rolled off the assembly line. The naming of the passenger aircraft will continue the tradition of the "double sunrise" flights of World War II and be named after stars or constellations. This is a nod to the airline's "double sunrise" operating plan (because the flight is long enough to see the sunrise twice).
In order to achieve a non-stop flight capability of up to 22 hours,Airbus carried out special modifications to this model, added a 20,000-liter fuel tank, and optimized the aerodynamic layout and avionics system.
After the aircraft is put into operation,Since the flight from Sydney to London is about 17,800 kilometers and to New York is about 16,200 kilometers, with flight durations close to 22 hours each, it will become the world's longest commercial route, saving up to 4 hours compared to connecting flights.
The aircraft cabin design combines sleep science and ergonomics and was created by Qantas Industrial Designers and experts from the University of Sydney. The entire cabin has only 238 seats, divided into four classes: 6 first-class independent suites, 52 business class suites with sliding doors, 40 premium economy class seats and 140 economy class seats. The economy class seat pitch is maintained at 33 inches and is equipped with a Bluetooth entertainment screen.
The cabin is equipped with a "health area" shared by the entire cabin, which provides stretching guidance and light snack supplies. It is also equipped with smart lighting that adjusts the biological clock to effectively relieve fatigue on ultra-long flights.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said that "Project Sunrise" not only breaks through distance restrictions, but also reshapes the ultra-long-haul travel experience with scientific design and sets a new benchmark in the industry. After officially operating in 2027, Qantas will completely rewrite the air travel pattern between Australia and Europe and the United States.