The Airbus ULR will be capable of flying almost 18,000km.
The world’s longest non-stop flight will officially begin jetting between Singapore and New York at the end of 2018.
The Airbus A350-900ULR embarked on its first test flight on 23 April, at which time it made a five-hour round trip that launched from the air-framer’s assembly plant in Toulouse, France.
Singapore Airlines will be the first airline offering the record-breaking 20 hour long-haul flight, having ordered a total of seven ULRs, which comes as part of a commitment to 67 A350-900 jets (21 of which have been delivered so far).
The Ultra Long Range #A350 XWB performs its first flight, ready to fly further than any other commercial airliner. Coming soon to @SingaporeAir. https://t.co/NmxPfu8pgG pic.twitter.com/4AVHs0Q7J3
— Airbus (@Airbus) April 23, 2018
Previously, the airline had used the A340-500 on the 15,323km journey from Singapore to Newark, New York. However, the four-engine commercial jets were returned to Airbus in 2013 due to the high cost of fuel and the issue that there were only 100 business-class seats on board.
The ULR will be capable of flying 17,960km, which will return to Singapore Airlines the title of world’s longest non-stop air route.
Bearing in mind that this is still an almost 18,000km plane journey, which will inevitably mean a lot of pins and needles in passengers legs, the 900 ULR’s have also been designed to ensure greater comfort, including “fully dark” cabins, the guarantee that all rows will have a window, reduced noise levels and an active humidification system.
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