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Could you stay on the same plane for 22 hours?

Airbus is about to find out.

Next week, Airbus plans to send its new A350-1000ULR on an extraordinary 22-hour nonstop test flight to Australia — one of the longest certification flights ever attempted.

And this isn’t a publicity stunt.

The single flight will account for almost a quarter of the aircraft’s entire certification flight-test program, giving engineers a chance to see how the jet, its systems, and its crew perform during an ultra-long-haul mission.

The aircraft is being built specifically for Qantas’ Project Sunrise, the airline’s plan to launch nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York starting next year.

To make that possible, Airbus has fitted the jet with extra fuel capacity and performance upgrades, allowing it to stay airborne for more than 20 hours without refueling.

If the testing is successful, one of aviation’s last great frontiers will disappear: flying between Australia and Europe without stopping.

But that also raises a question…

Would you book a 20+ hour nonstop flight? Or would you rather have a stop to stretch your legs?

#Airbus #A350 #Qantas #ProjectSunrise #Aviation