Airbus has completed the longest point-to-point flight ever undertaken by an A350-1000ULR flight-test aircraft, flying non-stop from Toulouse to Melbourne before returning to France as part of development testing for Qantas’ Project Sunrise programme.
The campaign began on July 23, when test aircraft MSN707 departed Toulouse for Melbourne. Five days later, the aircraft flew back to Toulouse, with the return journey covering 12,460 nautical miles in 24 hours and 24 minutes – the longest flight ever completed by the aircraft type.
The flights were designed to demonstrate the A350-1000ULR’s ability to perform a 23-hour block-time mission, supporting Qantas’ planned ultra-long-haul operations. Airbus also evaluated the aircraft’s fuel management system, including its 20,900-litre rear centre tank, cabin air conditioning performance and a redesigned twin Flight Crew Rest Compartment developed for extended missions.
MSN707, which first flew on June 2, is equipped with extensive flight-test instrumentation. The outbound flight was captained by Airbus test pilot Vincent Sibelle, while Xavier Pepin commanded the record-setting return sector. Two Qantas pilots joined the Melbourne-Toulouse flight to gain experience on the ultra-long-range variant.
The return flight crossed the Pacific, North America and the Atlantic before landing back in Toulouse on July 28, marking another milestone in the A350-1000ULR development programme ahead of its planned entry into service with Qantas.
