New 'Project Sunrise' megaflight almost breaks world record before maiden voyage

Flightradar24 has confirmed that a test flight of a massive new Airbus became the second most tracked flight in history, narrowly missing the top spot, which remains held by Queen Elizabeth II’s final journey, when a plane carried her coffin from Edinburgh to London in 2022.

Qantas’ groundbreaking new aircraft, purpose-built to connect the UK and Australia, without a layover, made aviation history after completing an extraordinary test flight covering a staggering 10,500-mile (17,000 km) route from the Airbus manufacturing facility in Toulouse, France. The plane departed last Thursday (July 23) at 7:33 a.m. local time, touching down in Melbourne, Australia on Friday (July 24) after 19 hours and 12 minutes in the air.

An impressive 75,000 viewers tuned in to watch the aircraft land live on Friday via flight tracking platform Flightradar24, which recorded a remarkable 2,972,670 total views throughout the 19-hour voyage.

Constructed exclusively for Australian national carrier Qantas and its ambitious “Project Sunrise” initiative, the ultra-long-range jet is engineered to finally unite London and Sydney through direct, non-stop service beginning in October 2027. The aircraft is equipped with a specialized rear fuel tank holding an additional 20,000 liters, providing the remarkable ability to remain airborne for up to 22 consecutive hours.

Four Airbus pilots and five test engineers were aboard to oversee the aircraft’s systems throughout the 19-hour and 13-minute delivery flight. The second-most monitored flight in aviation history has commenced its return leg to Europe after becoming Monday’s most-watched aircraft, with over 10,000 people tracking its departure.

The Airbus A350-1000ULR – specially configured for Qantas to operate non-stop services between Sydney and London starting October 2027 – departed on its maiden voyage to Australia last week. It is now heading back, with an anticipated block time of 23 hours.

Block time is measured from when the aircraft first pushes back from the departure gate until it reaches a complete stop at the arrival terminal, with wheel chocks in place.

The Qantas aircraft departed just before 5:30 p.m. on Monday (July 27) and will once again trial one of the longest commercial routes the plane can achieve.

While non-stop services between the UK and Australia typically travel eastward, Qantas announced it would instead traverse the North Pole on its latest non-stop route. During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months, approximately 20% of flights will travel northward over Alaska, Greenland, and Iceland before descending into London.

By capitalizing on beneficial tailwinds and reduced air traffic, this alternate routing will reduce overall journey time to between 19 hours 25 minutes and 20 hours 55 minutes, depending on conditions. Traversing up to 11 time zones poses a significant challenge for travelers’ circadian rhythms.

To address severe jet lag, Qantas collaborated with sleep specialists from the University of Sydney to completely reimagine the in-flight experience. This involves maintaining cabin darkness for a continuous 12-hour period, enabling passengers to rest naturally despite the dramatic time-zone changes.

The plane also incorporates 12 circadian lighting sequences, including artificial sunsets, to assist the body’s internal clock in adjusting. Meal service is carefully scheduled – featuring low-fat, high-protein choices before rest periods and stimulating spices upon awakening.

Travelers can additionally access a designated wellbeing area situated between Economy and Premium Economy to move around and participate in guided exercises during the marathon flight.