Airbus A350-1000ULR embarks on nonstop Toulouse to Melbourne test flight
Crew of Airbus twinjet designed for Qantas’s Project Sunrise to test systems including aft fuel tank. Airbus's first ultra-long range A350-1000ULR has taken off from Toulouse on a nonstop test flight to Melbourne. The twinjet – developed for Australian carrier Qantas's Project Sunrise initiative – lifted off from Toulouse Blagnac's runway 32L at about 07:34 local time on 23 July. While total flight time will not be formally confirmed until it arrives in Melbourne, the aircraft is intended to operate the Sydney-London route and fly for durations of 22h. This will be achieved with the specially-designed 20,000-litre aft centre fuel tank in the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered jet. Airbus indicates that a crew of nine is on board the aircraft. The test flight is part of a 75-80h certification campaign for the -1000ULR ahead of Qantas's plans to launch the commercial Project Sunrise routes in October next year. Airbus carried out the maiden flight of the variant on 2 June. Qantas's first 238-seat A350-1000ULR will be a different airframe to the test flight aircraft MSN707 – the initial delivery will be MSN814. The airline has 12 of the type on order.
