Aviation

Qantas test flight from London to Sydney nonstop takes off

Published

4 years ago

November 14, 2019

2 of 3 Project Sunrise research flights to reduce jetlag and design optimum crew rest and work pattern
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Almost 100 years to the day that the first London to Australia flight operated

Australia’s national carrier is preparing for its second ultra-long haul research flight, as part of scientific studies into minimising jetlag for passengers and improving crew wellbeing.

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The first research flight operated between New York and Sydney non-stop four weeks ago with 49 passengers and crew. It cut around three hours off the typical gate-to-gate travel time of current one-stop flights.

The airline has re-purposed the delivery flights of three brand new 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which would otherwise ferry empty from Seattle to Australia. A third research flight, repeating the New York-Sydney route, will take place in December.

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Tomorrow’s flight marks only the second time in history that a commercial airline has flown direct from London to Sydney. The first was 30 years ago in 1989, when Qantas operated a 747-400 ferry flight between the two cities. The aircraft that performed that flight (VH-OJA) is now on public display at an aviation museum, south of Sydney.

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Researchers from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre as well as the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC) will again travel on the non-stop Dreamliner flight to collect passenger and crew data.

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The findings from all three research flights will be used to inform future service and product design, aimed at increasing wellbeing and comfort during travel on long-haul flights – in particular the direct flights Qantas hopes to operate on a commercial basis between the east coast of Australia and London and New York.

Project Sunrise Research Flight #2 – London to Sydney

The research flight will carry around 50 passengers and crew in order to give the 787-9 the range required for the 17,800 km flight, expected to take around 19 and a half hours.

While the flight is over 1,500 kilometers further than New York to Sydney, the duration is expected to be similar due to prevailing tail winds between London and Sydney.

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All carbon emissions from the research flights will be offset. Qantas recently announced an acceleration of its efforts to reduce its broader carbon footprint, including effectively doubling current levels of flight offsetting, capping carbon emissions from 2020 onwards and totally eliminate net emissions by the year 2050. (link to environment press release)

Flight fast facts

QF 7879 flight from London to Sydney will take around 19-and-a-half hours subject to wind and weather conditions on the day. Distance between London and Sydney is 17,800 kilometres (11,000 miles). This compares to a travel time of 22 hours and 35 minutes on the current London to Sydney via Singapore flight.
The flight will be operated by a brand-new Boeing 787-9 with a special Qantas Centenary livery, registration VH ZNJ, named “Longreach”.
Four pilots will be on rotation throughout the flight. Two additional pilots will be in the cabin, having flown the aircraft to London.
The route will depart London and overfly 11 countries including England, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, Philippines and Indonesia before crossing the Australian coast near Darwin, tracking across the country before descending into Sydney.
The aircraft will operate with a maximum fuel load of approx. 126,000 litres. Projected fuel remaining upon landing is approximately 7,500 litres which translates to about 100 minutes of flight time.
Maximum take-off weight for a 787-9 is 254,000kg. QF 7879 LHR to SYD will depart at 233,000kg take-off weight with the same amount of fuel that Qantas departs Perth to London flights with.
Flight will travel at 85% the speed of sound which is around 930 kilometres an hour. Cruising altitude will start at 35,000 feet and then as the aircraft weight reduces with fuel burn, the cruising altitude will increase to 40,000 feet.

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Airlines

Air India Enters Into Codeshare Agreement With AIX Connect for 100 Flights

Published

2 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Sana khan

Air India Enters Into Codeshare Agreement With AIX Connect for 100 Flights

A codeshare arrangement has been made between AIX Connect, formerly known as Air Asia India, and Air India, which is controlled by the Tata Group. A codeshare arrangement allows one airline to sell seats on a different carrier’s flights while both use the other’s flight number.

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Over 100 flights per day on 21 destinations operated by AIX Connect will now have Air India’s ‘AI’ designator code. It will gradually add more routes covered by the codeshare agreement. In a statement, Air India announces that reservations for the codeshare flights are now being accepted at all points of sale, with travel beginning on September 27, 2023.

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The codeshare flights are now accepting reservations at all points of sale, with travel beginning this Wednesday. The extent of the agreement between the two airlines allows passengers to have their bags checked in all the way to their ultimate destinations and receive their boarding tickets at the initial point of departure for all of the travel sectors on a single ticket. To comply with government regulations, passengers connecting from international to domestic flights must go through customs at the initial point of entrance into India, according to Air India.

In addition to the shared destinations between the route networks of the two airlines, Air India has expanded its domestic route network with the introduction of the codeshare agreement to include Bagdogra, Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, and Surat.

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Airlines

British Airways will be the sole airline offering full business class suites on routes between the UK & Japan

Published

3 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Sana khan

British Airways will be the sole airline offering full business class suites on routes between the UK & Japan

British Airways launching its latest business class Club Suite cabin, on flights between London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda. From 31 October, it will be the only airline offering a business class suite with a full privacy door on direct flights between the UK and Japan. Club Suite has been designed to offer privacy, comfort, and space for customers wanting to work, rest, and play.

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Chefs have designed commemorative dishes for all four cabins based on heritage menus from the airline’s enormous collection, which will be served on Heathrow to Haneda flights from September 1 to October 31. Customers will be able to experience the most popular foods served on the route in 1969 – beef stroganoff and beef cheek okaribayaki – and the airline has also produced a festive cherry meringue gateau, the characteristic dessert enjoyed by flyers on the London to Anchorage segment that same year.

Emirates Resume Tokyo Haneda Flights(Opens in a new browser tab)

In a 1-2-1 layout, the airline’s Club Suite flat-bed seat provides direct aisle access and a suite door for increased privacy. boasting an impressive 18.5-inch in-flight entertainment screen, WiFi, a vanity stand with a mirror, and 40% extra storage. The B777-300ER* fleet’s BA6 and BA5 flights will provide the most recent business class seats. Across the Club World cabin, customers enjoy a luxurious plush pillow and warm quilt from The White Company, an amenity kit and an improved dining experience.

Customers flying in the airline’s First cabin to and from Tokyo starting on September 1 will enjoy the most luxurious service available, including custom loungewear and amenity kits created by Temperley London, a high-end British fashion label, as well as goods from ELEMIS, including the renowned ULTRA SMART PRO-COLLAGEN range and bedding made from recycled plastic bottles.

Airlines

Air France-KLM Orders 90 Airbus A350 Long-Range Aircraft

Published

3 hours ago

September 26, 2023

Sana khan

Air France-KLM Orders 90 Airbus A350 Long-Range Aircraft

The Air France-KLM Group has today stated that it intends to place a historic aircraft order in an effort to modernize and simplify its long-haul fleet, enhancing the Group’s economic and environmental performance.

First deliveries of the 50 Airbus A350-900 and A350-1000 aircraft under this group order are scheduled to begin in 2026 and continue through 2030, with the option to purchase a further 40 aircraft. In accordance with market dynamics and regional regulatory frameworks, the Group will have the flexibility to assign aircraft among its portfolio of airlines under this evolving order.

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These aircraft will replace previous-generation aircraft, namely Airbus A330 and older Boeing 777 aircraft. This new order will come in addition to an existing Air France-KLM order for 41 Airbus A350-900s for Air France, of which 22 have been delivered to date. With these combined orders, covering up to 99 aircraft, Air France-KLM would become the world’s largest A350 family aircraft operator.

The Airbus A350 symbolizes the transition to a more sustainable air transport industry. The aircraft consumes 25% less fuel than an equivalent-sized, previous-generation aircraft, thanks to the use of lighter materials: 53% composites and 14% titanium. Its noise footprint is also reduced by 40%.

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By 2028, the share of new-generation aircraft in the Air France-KLM fleet will reach 64%, compared to 5% in 2019. Air France-KLM was flying 533 aircraft as of September 25, 2023, to more than 300 locations across the world. After placing this order, the Group will have over 220 aircraft on order, including 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with maiden deliveries anticipated by the end of 2023.