Qantas flights non-stop to New York and London are a step closer after a maiden test flight of the airline’s new ultra-long-range plane.The Airbus, capable of being in the air for 22 hours, took off from a French airport on Tuesday afternoon local time.The test ran for almost four hours and began a two-month testing window. Qantas plans to announce later this month the first route and timing of passenger flights on the new plane.Just last week, Airbus flagged that supply chain disruptions had pushed back the ultimate delivery of the plane by four months.The plane, which took off from Toulouse on Tuesday, is the second of 12 A350-1000ULR (ultra-long-range) planes built for Qantas; the airline is expected to receive its first of the kind in April next year though. The plane tested on Tuesday will now be fitted out for Qantas, including installation of four distinct classes of seating.The ultra-long-range model has an extra fuel tank and lighter, more efficient fridges to maximise travel distance.A Qantas spokesperson said the planes would for the first time allow non-stop flights from Australia’s east coast to London or New York.“The successful first flight marks the beginning of a two-month testing campaign, with the aircraft to complete around 80 hours of flight testing and undergo extensive on-ground checks and certification of new and redesigned components,” the spokesperson said.The second ultra-long-range plane was being fitted out and painted ahead of delivery in April, the spokesperson said.An Airbus flight test crew flew the plane Tuesday, testing the new fuel system and doing general performance checks. The new tank adds about an extra 1800km of flight range.A spokesperson for the manufacturer said the test flight ran for three hours and 43 minutes, reaching more than 41,000 feet.“This marks the start of a two-month flight test campaign to certify the modifications. In addition, a new galley air cooling system will also be certified, which features lighter and more efficient refrigeration units for very long flights,” an Airbus spokesperson said.“The second A350-1000ULR to be produced for Qantas and the first scheduled to be delivered to the airline in April 2027 is now at an advanced stage of final assembly and ready to roll out of the paint shop in the coming days,” the spokesperson said.“This will be followed by completion of the premium four class cabin layout and engine installation.”Announced in 2017, Qantas’ campaign to end up with 12 of the ultra-long-range A350s is called Project Sunrise.The next four planes after the April arrival would arrive in “quick succession, putting us back on our original schedule by November”, a Qantas spokesperson said.Pilots are being trained for the new planes on simulators in Sydney. Qantas flies non-stop Perth to London in about 18 hours, and the new planes should cut four hours and a layover on trips from Australia’s east coast to London or New York.Singapore Airlines operates the two longest commercial flight routes; from New York and New Jersey, respectively, to Singapore.Qatar Airways’ Auckland to Doha route is third longest, while Qantas’ Perth to London, Melbourne to Dallas, and then Paris to Perth routes take out the fourth, fifth and sixth spots. Qantas also shares Auckland to New York flights – the seventh longest non-stop commercial flight – with Air New Zealand. Read related topics:Qantas