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20/10/2019

Qantas Test Runs The Longest Flight In The World Form New York To Sydney Non-Stop




Qantas Test Runs The Longest Flight In The World Form New York To Sydney Non-Stop
The longest flight in the world – a non-stop flight from New York to Sydney, was just tested by successfully by Qantas.
 
The flight - QF7879, took 19 hours and 16 minutes to complete the journey.
 
The test flight was conducted to see how passengers and crew could be kept adequately comfortable and rested during such a long flight.
 
This flight is now officially the longest commercial flight in the world taking over from the regular commercial service between Singapore and New York of the Singapore Airlines.
 
In the coming months, a non-stop flight between London to Sydney is also in the pipeline for Qantas. That flight will be about an hour longer because the route will be about 500 miles longer.
 
What allows such ultra long flights is the modern aircraft that are more technically advanced than ever before. Modern aircraft have much better fuel efficiency, allows for longer ranges and is helped by computer-aided logistical planning. However the question is whether the passengers and crew be able to tolerate longer hours in the air without a break in between.
 
Research into how pilots, cabin crews, and passengers were able to live up with the long flight time was researched by Qantas during the test flight, while also testing out measures to reduce the effect of jetlag as passengers cross 15 time zones to a minimum. The airline also plans to do the same for the London flight.
 
Only 40 passengers and 10 crew, including four on-duty pilots, were part of the test flight which was done with a repurposed delivery flight of a new Boeing 787-9 manufactured at Boeing's Seattle plant. A number of frequent fliers of Qantas participated in the test flight and research study along with off-duty Qantas employees, researchers, and the media.
 
Currently the airline is not able to fly the long haul flight with a full load of passengers and cargo because that would reduce the range of the plane. 
 
That capability would be present in two planes in development from Airbus and Boeing. Joyce, Quantas' CEO, said that the airline will decide which one it will use by the end of 2019 and the airline expects to start the commercial services in the route by 2023.
 
A business class seat that could convert into a bed was allocated to each passenger because of the low passenger load. The passengers were however urged to spend as much time as possible in the coach cabin so that the craft can be adequately balanced.
 
Scientific tests were also carried out on the primary flight crew. They were subjected to tests such as brain-wave measurements and melatonin analyses. The crew also ate the adapted meals and worked on a custom tailored shift schedule.
 
the shift period for the four pilots, who worked in two shifts was described by the pilot-in-charge, Captain Sean Golding.
 
"The whole crew will be on for the first hour-and-a-half. Then, I'll take a two-and-a-half hour break. I'll work for the next five-and-a-half hours, sleep for the next five-and-a-half, work the next two-and-a-half, and we'll all be on for the final approach and landing." "Sometimes, I sleep better on the long-haul flights than I do at home," he added.
 
(Source:www.businessinsider.com)

Christopher J. Mitchell

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