World's longest flight gets wings

ULH nonstop flights on premium markets such as SYD-LHR will become a reality within a 4 to 5 year time frame, a once unthinkable frontier. Kudos to QANTAS for its visionary leadership??

The airline is in talks with Boeing and Airbus to build an aircraft to meet its requirements. It wants an aircraft that can fly nonstop from Australia’s east coast to London and New York with around 300 passengers. Boeing is expected to base its proposal on its planned 777-8. Airbus will likely to offer an ultra-long-range version of its A350-900 or -1000. Both manufacturers have had to tweak their existing specifications. Qantas wants deliveries to begin in 2022.

In a year in which the first commercial non-stop Australia to London flight took off, it is worth reflecting on this 1935 Imperial Airways route map. Back then, the Kangaroo Route took about 13 days, involved 31 stops, and cost the equivalent of A$18,000 (one-way).? Three different types of aircraft were used, carrying between 10 and 38 passengers, on various legs of the journey. Now, Boeing's 787-9 Dreamliner flies non-stop in about 17 hours, carrying up to 236 passengers.? Priced from A$1,400 return. Next, Project Sunrise is Qantas'?requirement for an aircraft capable of operating nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York.?? Aside from the amazing progress aviation has made in less then a century, I think one of the more interesting points about this route map is its design layout.? It resembles a current subway or rail route map than the flight route maps we've become accustomed to. #aviation?#travel