Supply chain issues delay Project Sunrise flights - again
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By Andrew Curran.
Airbus has pushed back delivery of the first Qantas ultra long-range A350 to April 2027, again delaying the start of the airline’s Project Sunrise flights.
“The first A350-1000ULR will now join the Qantas fleet in April 2027,” an Airbus spokesperson said. “The adjustment to the schedule is largely due to the impact of supply chain issues.”
Qantas had anticipated delivery of its first A350 later this year, with revenue flights expected to begin in the first half of next year.
“While the first aircraft delivery has shifted to April 2027, the next four will follow in quick succession, putting us back on our original delivery schedule by November,” a Qantas spokesperson said.
Project Sunrise timeline slips again
Qantas has ordered twelve A350-1000ULRs to operate its Project Sunrise flights — non-stop services between Sydney and cities such as London and New York. Due to the extreme stage lengths involved, the airline requires three A350s to maintain daily flights on a single route.
Plans for the Project Sunrise services date back to the previous decade and were the brainchild of former Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce.
However, the airline only formally ordered the aircraft in May 2022, with hopes of launching flights in 2025. A series of delays, including issues modifying the existing A350-1000 airframe and installing additional 20,000-litre fuel tanks, derailed that timeline.
“There are many milestones on its delivery path that we need to work through,” current CEO Vanessa Hudson said earlier this year.
First aircraft enters final production stages
Production of the first A350-1000ULR is now well advanced, with the airframe, wings, tail, and landing gear already completed. The aircraft is currently in the paint shop in Toulouse.
The aircraft is temporarily registered as F-WZNK (msn 707).
Once it leaves the paint shop, work will begin on cabin installation and fitting the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-97 engines.
After that, a two-month flight test programme will commence.
“Preparations for the test aircraft’s first flight are also at an advanced stage, with it ready to take to the skies in the coming weeks,” the Qantas spokesperson said.
“We continue to work closely with Airbus on the delivery and certification process that will enable us to begin operating these history-making ultra long-haul flights.”
Neither Airbus nor Qantas specified exactly what caused the delay. However, reports note that the A350-1000ULR is a new aircraft sub-type that requires certification. Airbus has previously experienced delays securing certification for the additional fuel tanks.
It is not unusual for first-of-type aircraft to experience entry-into-service delays. But once certification is achieved, delivery backlogs often clear relatively quickly. This aligns with the current messaging coming out of the Qantas bunker.
First A350-1000ULR to start on short routes before switching to long haul
The Project Sunrise flights, which Qantas is expected to charge a premium for compared with existing one-stop services, will cut several hours off current travel times between Australia’s east coast and Europe and the US eastern seaboard.
The 228-passenger aircraft will seat six passengers in first class, 50 in business class, 30 in premium economy, and 140 in economy.
Once the first A350 arrives, Qantas intends to initially operate it on shorter sectors such as Sydney - Auckland to bed down the aircraft type and familiarise crews. When enough A350s have been delivered, the airline will launch its first Project Sunrise flights.
Photo: Airbus.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com