Qantas Project Sunrise Flights - Advertorials? Discuss!

[trippin_the_rift]

The New York to Sydney flight:

- Is not the longest flight in history
- Not the longest flight with paying passengers
- Classified a commercial flight, but had no paying passengers
- Singapore Airlines, Qatar... have flights of similar length with paying passengers every day

There have been studies dating back to the early 1900's on the human body being locked up in small confinced spaces for extended periods of time.
Countless governments, airframe manufacturers, IATA and other bodies have research on the effect of operating crew on ultra-long-haul flights.

When Qantas announced the project sunrise 'research flights', Qantas received worldwide media coverage.
Then again when the flight took place it had constant ~72 hours of global media exposure from the takeoff and landings which cycled across 3 full days.

Is there something I'm not understanding, or - did Qantas essentially burn 100,000 pounds of fuel ...... for media exposure.

 

[woodborer]

...to think they're doing it all again next month (albeit LHR-SYD)

 

[Bundy Bear]

It’s a media beat up, unless Qantas can get their staff, cabin crew and flights work up to 20 hours then it’s still a few years away.

20 hours in business, easy, 20 hours in economy is tough especially in Qantas configuration.

 

[Dr Ralph]

The New York to Sydney flight:

- Is not the longest flight in history
- Not the longest flight with paying passengers
- Classified a commercial flight, but had no paying passengers
- Singapore Airlines, Qatar... have flights of similar length with paying passengers every day

There have been studies dating back to the early 1900's on the human body being locked up in small confinced spaces for extended periods of time.
Countless governments, airframe manufacturers, IATA and other bodies have research on the effect of operating crew on ultra-long-haul flights.

When Qantas announced the project sunrise 'research flights', Qantas received worldwide media coverage.
Then again when the flight took place it had constant ~72 hours of global media exposure from the takeoff and landings which cycled across 3 full days.

Is there something I'm not understanding, or - did Qantas essentially burn 100,000 pounds of fuel ...... for media exposure.

No. This is it exactly.

 

[Happy Trails]

I read somewhere that they did have a few paying pax, invited to switch from the normal connecting flights, I guess so that they could argue it was commercial, sort of.

 

[opusman]

I read somewhere that they did have a few paying pax, invited to switch from the normal connecting flights, I guess so that they could argue it was commercial, sort of.

Yes, 6 or 8 I think.

 

[Himeno]

Yes, these test/research flights are PR stunts.

I've seen people talking about the flight on another forum who seem to think that this is a normal flight that Qantas has started.

 

[Himeno]

...to think they're doing it all again next month (albeit LHR-SYD)

They have 2 more PR stunt flights, the deliveries of VH-ZNJ and VH-ZNK. 1 more from JFK and 1 from LHR. I don't think they've yet said which one will be from LHR.

ZNJ was rolled out of the assembly hanger on the 1st. It should be delivered in 2-3 weeks.
ZNK is in final assembly. Due to be delivered in December.

ZNL has had a line number assigned (LN1019. ZNK is LN941)

 

[esseeeayeenn]

The New York to Sydney flight:

- Is not the longest flight in history
- Not the longest flight with paying passengers
- Classified a commercial flight, but had no paying passengers
- Singapore Airlines, Qatar... have flights of similar length with paying passengers every day

There have been studies dating back to the early 1900's on the human body being locked up in small confinced spaces for extended periods of time.
Countless governments, airframe manufacturers, IATA and other bodies have research on the effect of operating crew on ultra-long-haul flights.

When Qantas announced the project sunrise 'research flights', Qantas received worldwide media coverage.
Then again when the flight took place it had constant ~72 hours of global media exposure from the takeoff and landings which cycled across 3 full days.

Is there something I'm not understanding, or - did Qantas essentially burn 100,000 pounds of fuel ...... for media exposure.

You're right but - and I am not being rude - QF789 was about as history making as this thread.
Same discussion happening in at least two other threads.
Don't know how to link to them here but search project sunrise!

 

[trippin_the_rift]

You're right but - and I am not being rude - QF789 was about as history making as this thread.
Same discussion happening in at least two other threads.
Don't know how to link to them here but search project sunrise!

I did a bit of digging but couldn't find the other threads... I did search before starting this one!

AFF search feature not that great!

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I did a bit of digging but couldn't find the other threads... I did search before starting this one!

AFF search feature not that great!

They are here and there.
I should have thought through how to do that in the last post.
I wasn't having a go at you - I just thought you might be interested.

 

[oz_mark]

They have 2 more PR stunt flights, the deliveries of VH-ZNJ and VH-ZNK. 1 more from JFK and 1 from LHR. I don't think they've yet said which one will be from LHR.

ZNJ was rolled out of the assembly hanger on the 1st. It should be delivered in 2-3 weeks.
ZNK is in final assembly. Due to be delivered in December.

ZNL has had a line number assigned (LN1019. ZNK is LN941)

Press release said:

Two more research flights are planned as part of the Project Sunrise evaluations – London to Sydney in November and another New York to Sydney in December. Emissions from all research flights will be fully offset.

RECORD-BREAKING DIRECT NEW YORK TO SYDNEY FLIGHT TOUCHES DOWN

Keep up to date with Qantas' latest news and information, media releases, articles, images and more with the Qantas News Room.

www.qantasnewsroom.com.au

which suggests to me that ZNJ will be doing the London-Sydney.

 

[serfty]

You're right but - and I am not being rude - QF789 was about as history making as this thread.

Actually, while related, this is a different topic and deserves its own thread.

 

[Forg]

What's the normal process for aircraft delivery?
These 'research flights' are brand spankers planes aren't they?
Is this PR being obtained on the back of flights they'd have been doing from the US anyway? [although I guess from the west coast not the east coast?]

Slight segue but still on topic, which commercial flights are longer? I did a quick Google, and it seems the longest properly commercial flight is that SG one to New York, which at 19hrs is shorter. Wikipedia has everything commercial scheduled at under 19hrs.
Obviously in terms of non-commercial flights the military regularly does heaps longer stuff!!
I thought SR71's were circumnavigating the globe, but with a 5400km range they must've been inflight refuelling.
Wikipedia tells me that under pretty much the same circumstances, Qantas did a PR thing with one of their new 747-400's from Sydney to London, probably without the press & 5 frequent-flyers onboard of course, I guess they don't really want to admit they've done all this before ...

 

[moa999]

They've had media for some flights (eg. The first Dreamliner delivery and RetroRoo v1). Others I suspect are just pilots and one crew member.

It's pretty limited cost for QF to add a few pax, and I suspect the free press pays for the extra fuel in droves.

 

[moa999]

SamChui just posted an invite to the ZNJ delivery flight from London on Insta.

Departs 6am on Thu 14 Nov. Arrives SYD midday Fri 15 Nov.

Consistent with this post on airliners (Note Zulu Times - so add 11 hours for SYD/MEL)

Thursday 7/11
QF6027 PAE 2100z LAX 2335z
Pre service checks

Wednesday 13/11
QF6027 LAX 0740z LHR 1820z

Thursday 14/11
QF7879 LHR 0600z SYD 0045z

Friday 15/11
QF6101 SYD 2300z MEL 0035z

 

[moa999]

Third flight also schedule JFK-SYD departing 16-Dec.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1196938602191540224

So id assume ZNK will be delivered to QF about a week before, then flown to LAX for checks as per the previous two.

 

[Himeno]

So id assume ZNK will be delivered to QF about a week before, then flown to LAX for checks as per the previous two.

ZNK was rolled out of the assembly hanger almost a month ago and is listed as on the flight line, though doesn't appear to have taken its first flight yet.