Traveling to Australia from Paris without any stopovers will become a reality thanks to the first Airbus A350-1000 ULR.
This is a major event for the aeronautics sector which took place, for once, in Toulouse. We told you about it last year, and the project is coming to fruition: the first copy of the Airbus A350-1000 ULR (Ultra Long Range) has officially left the assembly hangars. This aircraft is the first in a series of twelve units ordered by the Australian company Qantas as part of its program called “Project Sunrise”, which aims to connect Sydney from Paris, London or New York, non-stop.
22 hours of flight
If you board, you will experience a 22-hour flight in one go, which is a new record for a commercial route. To cover these 18,000 kilometers, the plane is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines and above all benefits from an additional tank capable of carrying 20,000 liters of fuel more than the standard version.
The interior layout has also been revised so that you can endure such a journey. Unlike the 350 passengers that an A350-1000 can normally carry, this ULR version will only accommodate 238, in order to offer more space to each traveler. The configuration is also largely oriented towards the high end, since almost half of the device is dedicated to higher classes (Première and Business). There is also a specific area on the plane dedicated to well-being to stretch your legs. To limit the impact of jet lag and fatigue, engineers have also developed an intelligent lighting system that adapts to your circadian rhythms throughout the journey.
The first flights from 2027?
The plane is already assembled, but you won’t be able to buy your tickets right away. The device is now entering an important testing phase. For two months, intensive ground checks and flight tests will be carried out to validate the performance and safety of the aircraft. If these steps are successful, the first deliveries to Qantas should take place by the end of 2026.
Read: This French plane achieves what American planes only do with skis
Unfortunately, the timing is particularly bad for the Australian company Qantas. The war in Iran indeed poses the threat of a shortage of kerosene which companies have already reflected in their prices, but which could ultimately lead to a fuel shortage which would ground planes while waiting for the geopolitical situation to improve.
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Source :
France 3 Occitanie
