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The World’s (New) Longest Flight Is Coming

posted by cmn32480 on Monday August 28 2017, @01:04AM   Printer-friendly
from the that-is-a-long-time-in-a-winged-cigar dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

On Friday, Qantas Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce issued a public "challenge" to the companies to extend the range of Boeing's new 777X, which is slated for 2020, and the planned "Ultra-Long Range" version of Airbus's A350, which rolls out next year. Qantas hopes to take delivery of such a plane and begin its Sydney to London service in 2022, the company said as part of its full-year income results.

Qantas noted that both planes "can get close" to the requirements needed for London and New York missions. The public prodding is designed to make one or both manufacturers revisit technical schemes to edge out even greater range.

A nonstop flight from Sydney to London would shave almost four hours off current travel times that involve a stopover; for New York, travelers could save nearly three hours. Airbus, in an emailed statement, said it was equal to the challenge.

[...] Qantas flew its first so-called "Kangaroo Route" from Sydney to London in December 1947, flying a Lockheed Constellation. The trip took four days. In a few years, the kangaroo-flagged carrier hopes to do it in just over 20 hours.

-- submitted from IRC

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  • (Score: 1) by khallow on Monday August 28 2017, @12:05PM (1 child)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Monday August 28 2017, @12:05PM (#560177) Journal

    That's why flights from south america to africa go north up the coast then south again.

    Ever consider matters of safety? If you have to land in the middle of Antartica, particularly in the winter, then you are dead. Overflying Antarctica means that there's a long stretch where there are no options if the plane can't stay in the air. At least in the ocean, you can land at island airports or ditch at sea and hope for a sea rescue from anyone happening by.

  • (Score: 1) by WillR on Monday August 28 2017, @06:32PM

    by WillR (2012) on Monday August 28 2017, @06:32PM (#560381)
    Even if you don't worry about safety or rules, the only route you could serve going over the south pole with current aircraft would be to fly an A380 between Buenos Aires and Sydney, and there aren't anywhere near enough butts to fill enough seats to make that profitable. Buenos Aires to Melbourne/Canberra/Sydney are doable with a 777-300ER (ignoring ETOPS rules) but the direct route doesn't even cross Antarctica, it stays well offshore. Flying south from Cape Town over the pole is even worse, your next major airport is Honolulu, about 4000km past where your A380 will run out of fuel! The southern hemisphere's oceans are plenty big and empty without "alternative geography".