Airbus and Qantas have taken Project Sunrise a step closer to service after an A350-1000ULR completed a 24-hour 24-minute non-stop test flight from Melbourne to Toulouse on 28 July. The ultra-long-range aircraft, powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines, is being prepared for Qantas’ planned non-stop Australia–Europe routes, with first operations targeted for October 2027.
The mission was part of certification work intended to prove the modified A350-1000ULR can sustain block times among the longest in commercial aviation. Airbus fitted the aircraft with a 20,000-litre extra fuel tank and other changes to support flights of up to about 22 hours. The test reached around 41,000 feet and crossed multiple time zones while teams monitored fuel systems, cabin conditioning and endurance performance.
Project Sunrise has long been central to Qantas’ strategy to open direct links from Australia to Europe and, later, to the US east coast. The programme is designed around some of the most demanding technical requirements in the industry, including fuel capacity, crew management and cabin systems for ultra-long-haul operations.