(Posted 24th July 2026)
The most tracked flight …
Qantas’ Airbus A350-1000ULR is making aviation history as it continues its marathon nonstop test flight from Toulouse, France, to Melbourne, Australia.
The aircraft has now been airborne for around 13 hours and still has approximately 7.5 hours remaining before landing in Melbourne. Once it arrives, the journey is expected to exceed 20 hours, making it the longest nonstop test flight ever conducted by Airbus and Qantas.
Departing Toulouse at 7:33 AM local time, the Airbus A350-1000ULR, registered F-WULR (MSN 707), has become the world’s most-tracked flight, with aviation enthusiasts around the globe following its progress in real time.
The flight is a major milestone for Qantas’ Project Sunrise, which aims to introduce nonstop commercial flights connecting Sydney with London and New York. The test allows Airbus and Qantas to gather valuable operational and performance data while evaluating how the aircraft performs during an ultra-long-haul mission exceeding 20 hours.
To maximize passenger comfort on these record-breaking routes, Qantas will configure its A350-1000ULR fleet with just 238 seats, including 6 First Class suites, 52 Business Class seats, 40 Premium Economy seats, and 140 Economy seats.
If the program proves successful, the aircraft will redefine long-haul travel by enabling passengers to fly directly between eastern Australia and Europe or North America without the need for intermediate stops.
With only around 8.5 hours remaining before touchdown in Melbourne, the countdown is on as this remarkable flight moves closer to becoming another historic achievement in commercial aviation.
