It has something of a flying lab: When in New York at night on Saturday a Dreamliner with Qantas logo takes off - destination Sydney - then this is not a normal flight into the distance. On board will be next to the crew a few dozen passengers and also scientists with a mission. They want to find out how it is for travelers who fly almost 20 hours straight. So far a direct flight does not exist so far. But that could change soon.
Qantas plans to launch a series of three test flights this weekend as part of the "Project Sunrise". The Australian airline is considering adding the Sydney - New York connection to the flight plan. According to Qantas, such a flight would take about 19.5 hours - it would be the longest nonstop flight in the world.
So far, Singapore Airlines boasts of this record: It takes up to 18 hours for a machine to travel more than 15,000 kilometers between Singapore Changi and Newark New York Airport west of New York City. Qantas itself is already on the ultralong route - but to Europe: From Perth on the west coast of Australia to London, there is also no stopover.
Rüdiger Wölk / imago images
A Boeing 787-9 on the way from London to Perth
But now the company is ready for the marathon flight from New York to Sydney, as Qantas announces. "A plane and passengers are ready to test the mental and physical limits of long-haul flights," it said in a press release. At the weekend it was time, and the 50 passengers and the crew would go aboard a Boeing 787-9s. It is a new Dreamliner, fresh from the factory.
New strategies against jet lag
Six volunteer frequent flyers will also be present on the first test flight. They would be equipped with so-called wearables - technology that is worn on the body, for example, to measure the pulse and other values. They wanted to "do studies" with the aim of improving well-being on board such a long flight. In addition, Qantas claims to gain new knowledge to develop strategies against jet lag.
There were a number of questions, including the sleep patterns of staff and passengers and the attention of the pilots. In the latter, Qantas, for example, measures brainwaves during flight to monitor their fatigue and responsiveness. Urine samples will provide information about the pilots' melatonin levels, four of which will be on board working in shifts.
"We will ask them at different times during the flight how they feel," Tracey Sletten told the Australian magazine Business Insider. Sletten is one of the scientists who will come aboard. There will also be tests in the air for reactivity in case of lack of sleep, surveys on the feeling of stress and comfort in the cabin.
"This is one of the last major challenges of modern aviation," said Sean Golding, one of the test flight pilots of the Financial Times. The non-stop connection from New York to Sydney would save passengers between three and four hours travel time.
Incidentally, ultra-long haul flights are no better for the climate than flights with a stopover for refueling. They have a very big carbon footprint. After all, Qantas shares for the first test flight with: "The CO2 emissions are compensated."