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Airbus launches first nonstop A350-1000ULR test flight for Qantas Project Sunrise: Toulouse to Melbourne

Airbus has kicked off a first nonstop certification test flight of the A350-1000ULR, departing Toulouse for Melbourne to validate ultra-long-range systems for Qantas’s Project Sunrise. The test—running roughly 20+ hours and targeting an approximately 17,000-kilometer flight profile—includes onboard checks such as aft fuel tank performance and operational capability.

Discovered 2026-07-22T23:49:31.938841-07:00 | 2026-07-22T23:49:31.938841-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

This is the A350-1000ULR’s first nonstop test segment for Qantas Project Sunrise, advancing Airbus and Qantas from pre-validation into long-range operational and systems verification.
The flight is designed to test capabilities tied to the aircraft’s intended ultra-long-range configuration (including aft fuel tank performance), directly de-risking the certification pathway.
It follows Airbus’s preparations for an ultra-long test flight ahead of Project Sunrise (source:9b6808f9-0a82-4d86-91a4-bd048d88a8dd), tightening the timeline toward future ultralong-haul routes.

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