On 18 October 2019, QF7879 flight departed from New York to Sydney. It was a historic flight between the 2 destinations, for the first time being operated directly, without a stopover. The 16200 kilometer distance was covered in 19 hours and 16 minutes by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Qantas. The plane landed in Sydney on 20 October, at 7: 43.
QF7879 flight is part of a series of 3 test flights for the Qantas Sunrise project. Australia's main airline wants to launch very long non-stop flights from Australia to Europe and North America.
QF7879 flight operated by Qantas in figures
But let's see how QF7879 was operated by Qantas on the route New York - Sydney
- Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (VH-ZNI) aircraft, dubbed the "Kookaburra";
- Route New York - Sydney - 16200 kilometers;
- The direct flight duration was 19 hours and 16 minutes (Normally, this route is operated in 22 hours and 20 minutes with a stopover in Los Angeles);
- During the flight, by rotation, 4 pilots were at the aircraft sleeve. Plus 2 additional pilots who flew the new plane from Seattle to New York. The total pilot experience amounts to over 67 000 flight hours.
- The aircraft took off with 101 000 kilos of kerosene, the maximum quantity that an 787-9 Dreamliner can carry. According to the calculations of the specialists, at the destination there must still be about 6000 of kilograms, the equivalent of 90 of flight minutes.
- The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner (VH-ZNI) had 233 000 kilograms at take-off, when the maximum allowable load is 254 000 kilograms. About half the weight represented the fuel, the same amount a 787-9 Dreamliner uses route Perth - London.
- The flight was operated at an average speed of 930 km / h.
- In the first part of the flight, the cruise altitude was 36000ft (approximately 10900 meters). And as the aircraft became easier, cruise altitude climbed to 40 000ft (about 12200 meters).
- On board were 49 people, including Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. Only under these conditions could the flight be operated with this aircraft model.
It was a historic moment for the entire aviation industry. Following these test flights, Qantas will decide whether to continue the Sunrise project and launch the long-awaited flights, or give up. However, for Qantas Sunrise, Alan Joyce has asked aircraft manufacturers to make dedicated models for very long flights. The models are taken into account A350-1000ULR or the new generation of 777X aircraft.