Qantas makes history after the longest non-stop commercial flight touches down in Sydney

Qantas had made history after their longest non-stop commercial flight from New York successfully touched down in Sydney on Sunday morning. 

Flight QF7879 took off from New York’s John F. Kennedy airport at 9pm on Saturday with 50 passengers and crew on board. 

The flight took 19 hours and 16 minutes and travelled 16,200 kilometres. 

It is the first of three test flights which aim to connect Australia to destinations including London and New York.  

The flight took 19 hours and 16 minutes and travelled 16,200 kilometres. It is the first of three test flights which aim to connect Australia to destinations including London and New York

Four pilots were put on rotation throughout the flight and two additional pilots who flew the aircraft to New York were stationed in the cabin

Four pilots were put on rotation throughout the flight and two additional pilots who flew the aircraft to New York were stationed in the cabin. 

The plane touched down at Sydney airport at 7.33am local time.  

The direct flight saved passengers up to four hours in total travel time.  

The purpose of the record-breaking flight, named Project Sunrise, is to conduct scientific research on passengers and crew on extra-long haul flights. 

Data gathered from these flights will be used for increasing health and minimising jetlag and identifying optimum crew rest and work periods.

The data will also be shared with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority to help inform regulatory requirements associated with ultra-long-haul flights over 20 hours.

The purpose of the record-breaking flight, named Project Sunrise, is to conduct scientific research on passengers and crew on extra-long haul flights

Data gathered from these flights will be used for increasing health and minimising jetlag and identifying optimum crew rest and work periods (pictured: staff stretching while on the long flight)

CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce (pictured), said the success of the flight was a historic moment for the airline

CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, said the success of the flight was a historic moment for the airline. 

‘This is really historic moment for Australian aviation and a really historic moment for world aviation,’ Mr Joyce said at a press conference. 

‘We’re the first commercial airline to fly non-stop from New York to Sydney.’

If the data from the test flights suggest non-stop flights will not pose a health risk for crew and passengers, flights would start in 2022/23.