Yahoo Movies The New Longest Commercial Flight Is 19 Hours and 10,000 Miles
Soon, Singapore Airlines will be offering the world's longest commercial flight: a nearly 19-hour direct trip between Singapore and New York that will begin taking passengers on October 11.
The flights will be the first route of the Airbus A350-900ULR, built for long-range flights, with wings and a fuselage made out of an ultra-thin and ultra-strong carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) to reduce weight.
The A350 is big, with a total length of 219.5 feet and a wingspan of 212.43 feet, roughly 20 feet shorter than a 777 but with a wingspan 12 feet wider. The craft making the New York-Singapore flight also has an integrated modified fuel system, which increases the aircraft’s fuel carrying capacity by 24,000 liters with no need for supplemental fuel tanks.
The A350 is capable of flying 9,700 nautical miles (11,162 miles, or 17,964 km) nonstop and will get tested near its limits on the New York route, which takes a distance of around 9,000 nautical miles (10,357 miles, or 16,668 km). According to a press release from Singapore Airlines, the flight will take 18 hours and 45 minutes.
“Today’s delivery is a milestone for Airbus and Singapore Airlines, as together we open a new chapter in non-stop air travel," says Airbus CEO Tom Enders in the press release.
Singapore Airlines has ordered six more of the massive A350 planes, bringing them onto a route which also include Singapore-Los Angeles. By the end of 2018, Singapore Airlines plans on having 27 weekly non-stop flights between the island and the United States.
Singapore Airlines has made a habit of late of finding the biggest plane it can and putting it into service. Earlier this year, the airline put the first Boeing 787-10 into service, the newest and biggest offering of Boeing's Dreamliners.
Source: CNET
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