Airbus A350-1000ULR Breaks the World Distance Record for a Commercial Airliner: 23,155 km From Melbourne to Toulouse in 24 Hours 24 Minutes
Airbus announced in Toulouse, France, on November 9 that the A350-1000ULR (Ultra-Long Range), developed for Qantas, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for the longest flight by distance by a commercial airliner. The record rests on a test flight the aircraft flew on July 27-28 this year, with flight data independently validated by the International Aeronautical Federation and Flightradar24.
Operating under the call sign AIB35LR, the test aircraft departed Melbourne, Australia, at 5:27 p.m. local time on July 27 and landed in Toulouse, France, at 9:51 a.m. local time on July 28, covering 12,503 nautical miles, about 23,155 kilometres, in 24 hours and 24 minutes. After takeoff it flew over Sydney, crossed the Pacific and the international date line, traversed North America and the Atlantic, passed over London and continued south to Toulouse, crossing three continents and two oceans, with the crew witnessing two sunsets and two sunrises on a single flight.
The previous record was set by a Boeing 777-200LR in November 2005, which flew 11,664 nautical miles from Hong Kong to London in 22 hours and 42 minutes, a mark that stood for 21 years.
The A350-1000ULR is being developed for Qantas under Project Sunrise, and Qantas has ordered 12 of the aircraft. It will enable Qantas to operate nonstop flights between Sydney and London and New York for the first time, a distance of almost 10,000 nautical miles. Qantas expects to take delivery of its first A350-1000ULR in April 2027, with nonstop Sydney-to-London service planned to begin in October 2027.
(Source: Airbus)
Source: Airbus
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：澳航「日出计划」首架空客 A350-1000ULR 试验机（注册号 F-WULR）在墨尔本国际机场被拖行，机身印有 First A350-1000ULR for QANTAS 与 Project Sunrise 字样。Mitchul Hope 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: The first Airbus A350-1000ULR test aircraft for Qantas' Project Sunrise (registration F-WULR) under tow at Melbourne International Airport, wearing First A350-1000ULR for QANTAS and Project Sunrise titles. Photo by Mitchul Hope, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
