AIRBUS A350 COMPLETES 24-HOUR NONSTOP FLIGHT FROM MELBOURNE TO TOULOUSE

MELBOURNE, JULY 29 /SRNA/ - A specially configured Airbus A350 aircraft set a new long-distance flight record by flying nonstop from Melbourne to Toulouse for 24 hours and 24 minutes.

The aircraft covered more than 23,000 kilometres on the direct route without refuelling before landing in southern France. "To manage fatigue during flights lasting 20 to 23 hours, we introduced four-hour shifts for each pilot, but rotated the crew every two hours," Captain Xavier Pepin said. He added that this gradual approach facilitated handovers and maintained "full situational awareness." "One Airbus test pilot was always seated in the cockpit while the Qantas pilot occupied the other seat to ensure the safety of the mission, as Airbus was responsible for the operation," Pepin said. The flight was conducted ahead of the planned delivery of the first A350-1000ULR aircraft to Australian airline Qantas, which is expected next year, DPA reported.