Airbus preparing for ultra-long test flight of A350-1000ULR

Twinjet for Qantas’s ‘Project Sunrise’ to fly 22h sortie to Australia.

Airbus is preparing to conduct an ultra-long test flight with its newly-developed A350-1000ULR in around a week’s time.

The aircraft will operate to Australia, says the airframer, although it has not specified the precise route.

Airbus has yet to confirm when the flight will take place but indicates it will happen during the “latter part of next week”.

The aircraft is being designed for Australian carrier Qantas’s ‘Project Sunrise’ initiative to open nonstop services from Sydney to London in October next year.

Airbus had previously indicated that a test flight of around 22h would form part of the certification programme — accounting for about a quarter of the total 75-80h required.

Flight-testing of the initial aircraft, MSN707, commenced on 2 June.

Qantas has not disclosed further details beyond confirming the aircraft is being flown to Australia as part of the test programme. Australian media have reported that the aircraft will be flown to Melbourne.