Interesting facts about Qantas airlines Project Sunrise

The first non-stop commercial airline flight from New York to Sydney has landed after 19 hours 16 minutes in the air.A total of 49 passengers and crew were on the flight, which was used to run a series of experiments to assess health and well-being onboard. Data from these experiments will be used to help shape the crew rostering and customer service of Qantas’ ultra long haul flights in the future – including Project Sunrise.

Tests ranged from monitoring pilot brain waves, melatonin levels and alertness, to exercise classes for passengers.

Cabin lighting and in-flight meals were also adjusted in ways that are expected to help reduce jetlag, according to the medical researchers and scientists who have partnered with Qantas.

Fast Facts

–        QF 7879 non-stop flight from New York to Sydney will take around 19-and-a-half hours subject to wind and weather conditions on the day. Distance between New York and Sydney is 16,200 kilometres. This compares to a travel time of 22 hours and 20 minutes on the current New York to Sydney via Los Angeles flight.

–        The flight will be operated by a brand new Boeing 787-9, registration VH ZNI, named “Kookaburra”

–        Months of flight planning has gone in to determining the optimum flight path, including running daily plans to establish wind and weather patterns

–        Four pilots will be on rotation throughout the flight. Two additional pilots will be in the cabin, having flown the aircraft to New York. Total flight hour experience on the aircraft is 67,000.

–        The aircraft will operate with a maximum fuel load of approx. 101,000kg. Projected fuel remaining upon landing is approximately 6,000kg which translates to about 90 minutes of flight time.

–        Maximum take-off weight for a 787-9 is 254,000kg. QF 7879 JFK to SYD will depart at 233,000kg take-off weight with the same amount of fuel 101,000kg that Qantas departs Perth to London flights with.

–        Nearly half of the aircraft weight on take-off is fuel. The other is aircraft, passengers and bags.

–        Flight will travel at 85% the speed of sound which is around 930 kilometres an hour. Cruising altitude will start at 36,000 feet for the first few hours and then as the aircraft weight reduces with fuel burn, the cruising altitude will increase to 40,000 feet.

–        Pantry galley weight will be 1,500kg’s (food, trolleys etc.)

Findings on crew wellbeing will be shared with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority to help inform regulatory requirements associated with ultra-long-haul flights over 20 hours.

Follow Qantas 7879 New York to Sydney non-stop including a live update from the cockpit on Flightradar24.

Pilot and Cabin Crew research – in partnership with the CRC for Alertness, Safety, and Productivity
• The primary aim of the research is to examine the sleep cycles and alertness of pilots and cabin crew during extended flight duty to establish optimum crew work and rest patterns.
• Four pilots and six cabin crew will be involved in the data collection, wearing activity monitors and completing sleep diaries and rest and alertness logs.
• Pilots will wear EEG (electroencephalogram) brain monitoring equipment for the duration of the flight to tack brain activity and monitor alertness during their “on” times and sleep during their “rest” periods.
• Pilots will also provide researchers with urine samples from before, during and after the flight which will track melatonin levels to establish individual body clock timing.
• Cameras will be mounted in the cockpit for the flight duration to record alertness cues and operational activities.
• The pilots have spent time in the 787 flight simulator to ensure the EGG brain monitoring equipment doesn’t interfere with aircraft systems and standard operations.

Passenger research – in partnership with University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre
• The aim of the research is to identify strategies to reduce jetlag and promote inflight health.
• Passengers will be fitted with wearable device technology to track movement and light exposure.
• Customers will experience a difference in food and beverage menus and service timings to encourage body clocks to adjust to the destination time zone.
• Specific times will be allocated for out of seat movement and activities.
• Passengers will keep a daily log for a week prior to the flight, during the flight and for two weeks after the flight and will note how they feel throughout the study.
• Passengers will complete a test on an iPad, similar to a game of “Whack a Mole”, to gauge reaction time and attention.