Qantas successfully completed a nonstop test flight of its new ultra-long-range aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000ULR, arriving in Melbourne on Friday after departing from Airbus’s manufacturing base in Toulouse, France. The flight, covering approximately 10,560 miles, lasted just over 19 hours, marking the first time the aircraft landed on Australian soil.

The A350-1000ULR is designed specifically to enable Qantas to operate some of the world’s longest commercial routes, including its anticipated nonstop Sydney to London service, which is scheduled to begin in October 2027. The aircraft is capable of flying nearly 10,000 nautical miles thanks in part to an additional 20,000-litre fuel tank, extending its range to a maximum of 22 hours nonstop.

During the test, four Airbus flight test pilots and five flight engineers managed the operation of the aircraft. After a brief stay in Melbourne, the team is set to return to Toulouse on Monday, accompanied by two Qantas pilots who will join the next phase of testing. Qantas chief technical pilot Alex Passerini indicated that the return flight is expected to take 23 hours, with the crew focusing on testing various onboard systems, including fuel transfer and air conditioning.

Passerini also noted that the aircraft has been designed with the crew’s endurance in mind, allowing for scheduled rest breaks supported by the airline's data-driven management systems. “Everyone’s going to get tired,” he remarked, emphasizing the importance of crew welfare on ultra-long-haul flights.

This test flight follows the aircraft’s maiden flight on June 2, which lasted nearly four hours, after which the model underwent a series of extensive evaluations. The successful completion of this first long-haul flight is a significant milestone in Qantas’s efforts to launch its ultra-long-distance services, promising to connect continents more directly with fewer stops.