Singapore Airlines and Airbus are teaming up to create the world’s longest non-stop flight beginning in 2018. The flight will originate in the city-state and fly nonstop some 8,700 nautical miles to Newark Liberty International Airport. The trip will take about 19 hours.
Source: Thinkstock
A special version of the Airbus A350 will be used on the route. The A350-900ULR (for ultra-long range) will include a modified fuel system to increase the plane’s fuel capacity, an increase in the plane’s maximum take-off weight, and other improvements. The ULR configuration is reversible, allowing an operator to reconfigure the plane to standard A350-900 specifications.
Singapore Airlines has ordered a total of 67 A350-family commercial jets from Airbus and seven of the planes will be configured with the ULR capability. The first delivery of a ULR is currently scheduled for 2018.
From 2004 to 2013, Singapore Airlines flew the Singapore-to-New York City route using an Airbus A340-500. The flight was discontinued when fuel prices wrecked the economics. The A350-900ULR will have 170 seats, about 60 more than the old A340-500s, according to Leeham News.
The ULR’s maximum take-off weight has been increased by 5 metric tons and the wing fuel tanks will be expanded to allow a maximum of 165,000 liters of fuel. A standard 3-class configuration of the plane seats 325 passengers. The lower 170-seat capacity allows the plane to use its wing fuel tanks to carry more fuel rather than permanently install additional tanks in the plane’s cargo space. The standard A350-900 has a maximum range of 7,600 nautical miles.
A standard version the 777-9 from Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) will have a range of 7,600 nautical miles when it becomes available, but the plane is designed to carry up to 425 passengers. The 777-8’s projected range is 8,700 nautical miles with up to 375 passengers.
Leeham News compared the A350-900ULR to a Boeing’s most competitive aircraft for the route, the 777-200LR. The Boeing plane was estimated to consume about 650 kgs of fuel per passenger, much better than the 800 kgs consumed by the A340-500, but not as good as an estimated 500 kgs per passenger for the A350-900ULR. Whether Boeing has a chance to capture any of the Singapore Airlines business with its new 777-8 remains to be seen, but that will take some real doing.
ALSO READ: Boeing Maintains Record-Breaking Annual Delivery Pace
ALERT: Take This Retirement Quiz Now (Sponsored)
Take the quiz below to get matched with a financial advisor today.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Take the retirement quiz right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
