Countdown to the world’s longest commercial flights: the Airbus A350-1000ULR

Following the successful first flight of the A350-1000ULR (MSN 707) in Toulouse, Airbus is on course to bring the world's longest range passenger airliner to service.

The A350-1000ULR is being developed for Qantas Airways to enable non-stop flights from Sydney to London or New York for the first time ever. That represents a distance of almost 10,000 nautical miles, with flight times of up to 22 hours.

Rising to the challenge

Qantas launched Project Sunrise in 2017 to challenge aircraft manufacturers to increase the range of long-haul aircraft.

The name carries historical significance.

During the Second World War, after the fall of Singapore, Qantas operated Catalina flying boats from Western Australia to Sri Lanka to connect with onward flights to London. The non-stop flights, carrying just three passengers and 70 kg of essential mail, lasted 33 hours, during which the passengers and crew saw the sun rise twice.

Airbus A350-1000ULR: engineering the ultimate range

Compared to the baseline A350-1000 this ultra-long-range variant is made possible through key modifications. These include the integration into the structure of a Rear Centre Tank (RCT), which boosts fuel capacity by an additional 20,000 litres.. To ensure passenger comfort, the aircraft is fitted with an Airspace cabin optimised for ultra-long-haul missions.

Carrying 20,000 litres of fuel, this enhances further the aircraft performance and . extends the range of the standard A350-1000 by 1,000 nautical miles, with sufficient provision for diversions at the end of the flight.

The aircraft is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and benefits from an increase in maximum take-off weight.

MSN 707 will now undergo a two-month flight test programme that will focus on certification of the major structural modification and related fuel systems to ensure proper performance during all flight phases and altitudes.

In-flight testing will cover all pumps, gauges, pressure systems and will verify that the sequencing and management of fuel transfers in the respective tanks is performed as planned by the Fuel Quantity Management System (FQMS).

The campaign will also cover testing of the ventilation and temperature control of the cabin. This will involve certification of a new galley air cooling system (NGAC), which features lighter and more efficient refrigeration units for long flights.

The A350-1000ULR becomes the launch platform for this new technology, which results in a weight saving of around 300 kilograms and will become standard on the A350 Family.

Following the flight test campaign, MSN 707 will be retrofitted for Qantas commercial configuration.

Qantas Project Sunrise: expanding the Airbus A350-1000ULR fleet

A second aircraft for Qantas is now at an advanced stage of final assembly and is currently being painted with the airline's livery. It will then move to completion of the passenger cabin and engine installation. This will be the first aircraft to be delivered to the airline, in April 2027.

For the A350-1000ULR, Qantas has specified an extra-spacious premium cabin layout, seating 238 passengers. This configuration comprises six First Class Suites, 52 Business Suites, 40 Premium Economy seats and 140 in Economy class, with a generous 33" seat pitch. The aircraft also features a wellbeing zone where passengers can stretch during the long flights.

Under Project Sunrise, Qantas has ordered 12 A350-1000ULRs, designed to overcome one of the last frontiers in non-stop travel from Australia. In addition the carrier also has 12 standard A350-1000s on order for future operation across its long haul network.

The A350-1000ULR is the fourth passenger variant of the best-selling A350 Family joining the A350-900, A350-900ULR and the A350-1000. Together, the aircraft have set new standards in long haul air travel, with a step-change reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions of 25% and new levels of passenger comfort.

The passenger line-up will soon be joined by the all-new A350F freighter, also currently under development at Airbus, with first flight planned later this year.