Qantas ran a major test flight from Paris to Melbourne seamlessly without stopping. The Airbus A350 took exactly 20 hours to traverse 17,000km. It touched down on July 24, 2026. This was the longest test for Project Sunrise. The airline intends direct Europe‑Australia flights. Engineers tracked each systems over the flight. They observed how the plane behaved on the very long route.
Sources & References
-
Aviation history made in Aus as plane lands - News.com.au
Aviation history made in Aus as plane lands News.com.au
-
Qantas tests new ultra long-range Airbus in 17,000km direct flight from France to Melbourne - The Guardian
Qantas tests new ultra long-range Airbus in 17,000km direct flight from France to Melbourne The Guardian
-
Watch: Qantas plane touches down in Australia after historic test flight - SMH.com.au
Watch: Qantas plane touches down in Australia after historic test flight SMH.com.au
-
New Qantas plane touches down in Australia after historic 20-hour test flight - Nine.com.au
New Qantas plane touches down in Australia after historic 20-hour test flight Nine.com.au
-
Why everyone was watching this Qantas flight - The Nightly
Why everyone was watching this Qantas flight The Nightly