TOULOUSE, France – The long-awaited “Project Sunrise” reached a historic milestone this week as the first Airbus A350-1000ULR (Ultra-Long-Range) officially rolled off the Final Assembly Line (FAL) in Toulouse.
The aircraft spotted by Eurospot, bearing the French test registration F-WZNK, emerged from the hangar on April 12, 2026, fully equipped with its massive Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines. The rollout signals the beginning of a rigorous flight-testing phase for the jet that is expected to redefine global air travel.
Engineering the 22-Hour Flight
The A350-1000ULR is far from a standard wide-body jet. To bridge the 10,000-mile gap between Sydney and London, Airbus has equipped this specific model with a 20,000-litre additional rear-centre fuel tank.
This modification allows the aircraft to stay airborne for up to 22 hours, longer than any current commercial flight. To manage the immense weight of the fuel, the aircraft features:
- Reinforced Landing Gear: Designed to handle a maximum takeoff weight of 319 tonnes.
- Enhanced Aerodynamics: Subtle wing refinements to maintain efficiency over ultra-long distances.
- Modified Fuel Systems: Specialized venting and pumping systems to manage the extra capacity.
A Flying “Wellness Center”
Qantas has redesigned the interior from the ground up to combat the physical toll of nearly a full day in the sky. While a standard A350-1000 can carry upwards of 350 passengers, the Project Sunrise configuration will host just 238 seats to maximize personal space.
The cabin will feature a dedicated “Wellbeing Zone” located between the Premium Economy and Economy sections. This area will offer:
- Space for stretching and movement.
- A hydration station with specialized snacks.
- Circadian-calibrated lighting to help passengers adjust to their destination time zones faster.
The Path to 2027
The aircraft (MSN 707) will now undergo two months of intensive ground and flight checks in France before being delivered to Qantas in late 2026.
Upon arrival in Australia, the jet will be used for crew training and domestic route-proving. If the schedule remains on track, Qantas aims to launch the world’s longest nonstop commercial flights from Sydney (SYD) to New York (JFK) and London Heathrow (LHR) in the first quarter of 2027.
Project Sunrise is a tribute to Qantas’s WWII-era “Double Sunrise” flights, where crews stayed airborne long enough to see the sun rise twice. A century later, that spirit of endurance is poised to become a daily reality for global travelers.
