New 'Project Sunrise' megaflight almost breaks world record before maiden voyage

The incredible test flight, which is en route on its return to Europe, had made history before it had even left the ground 05:32, Tue, Jul 28, 2026 Updated: 05:44, Tue, Jul 28, 2026 The ultra-long-range plane will be the first to fly non-stop from London to Sydney as of next year (Image: Getty)Flightradar24 has confirmed that a test flight of a huge new airbus became the second most tracked flight ever, losing the first-lace crown to Queen Elizabeth II’s last ever flight, with the plane carrying her coffin from Edinburgh to London back in 2022. Qantas' revolutionary new aircraft, designed to connect the UK and Australia without a stopover, made history after completing a gargantuan test flight following a marathon 10,500-mile (17,000km) journey from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. It took off last Thursday (July 23) at 7.33am local time and touched down in Melbourne, Australia on Friday (July 24) 19 hours and 12 minutes later. Get the latest news from around the world and more Invalid emailWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Yo...