Non-stop flights from London to Sydney by 2020
Non-stop flights from London to Sydney could soon be a reality thanks to research being carried out by Boeing engineers.
The aerospace company wants to develop a new version of its 777 twin-engined aircraft that could fly the 10,560 miles to Sydney.
Going the distance: Boeing aims to develop a new version of its 777 twin-engined aircraft that could fly from London to Sydney without having to refuel
Such journeys are currently uneconomic because it is so expensive to carry the fuel needed for the extra range. Aircrafts usually make a pitstop in Asia to refuel.
But Boeing is hoping to develop a 777 that is between 14 and 16 per cent more efficient by 2020.
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Flying non-stop would cut the journey time from between 22 and 24 hours to about 19 hours.
The latest long-range aircraft such as the Boeing 777-200 can already theoretically fly the distance non-stop from West to East, but not the other way because of headwinds.
Not such a long haul: Passengers on a non-stop flight could reach Sydney from London in around 19 hours
The plane, which has been dubbed the 777-8LX, is Boeing’s response to research by its European rival Airbus, which is also exploring ways to make long distance flights more economically viable.
Airbus executive vice-president Tom Williams said recently: ‘Super-long flights are the Holy Grail we’re always chasing, but it all comes down to economics.’
In 1989, Qantas flew the first non-stop civil flight from London to Sydney as part of a publicity stunt on its first Boeing 747 jumbo, but with only a handful of passengers on board, rather than a full payload.
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