Longest flight - A330 or B777
 

I heard a rumour that Qantas flew an A330 from France to Melbourne non-stop on a delivery flight.

Is this a longer flight than what the B777 can do?

Its not a rumour. VH-EBB Toulouse direct Mel.

Can't help you with the 777 but I know the -200LR version is mooted to go London-Syd direct.

During A330 development Airbus flew one Toulouse-PER non-stop back in about 94 I think. Then they did an A340 prototype (no seats etc) Paris-Auckland-Paris eastward during the Airshow but I think that was as much an airshow stunt as a development flight.

remember that Monty Python skit from the holy grail - it depends if it is a laden or unladen swallow

the tolouse flight was without a significant load, the 777 has much longer legs

the a340 was just reaching cruising altitude when it had to start decent into auckland.......

Thanks for the replies. I will do some more digging to see how far an unladen 777 has gone.

An empty 777 does Seattle-Hong Kong every time CX orders one and the 300ER will do JFK-Hong Kong with a full load.

A330-200 has the same wing and fuel tanks as the A340-300 (the A330-300 doesn't have the centre tank). That is well over 100 (about 108 I think) tonnes of fuel. Only trouble with that is the payload with full fuel is you me and a lunch box! So TOU-MEL on a delievery no problem. I don't think the 777's (with possible exception of -200LR) are as over tanked.

A340 Pairs-Akl
 

Reason it called TOD @ TOC? Becos the only reason the A340 climbs is cos the worlds curved! :ok:

A330 Flt Qantas TLS - MEL non stop

Without stabilizer tank which was MEL'd leaving Fuel load approx 105 ton and optimum flying (Fuel economy) was not achieved as fuel repositioning for W & B was u/s.

Believe it was recorded as longest flt by pax jet over 17,000 kms.

Crew were stoked as I received it in MEL, cheers:ok:

While we are on longest flights does anyone know the longest flight of a 747 (any flight not just revenue)?

Thanks for the responses.

QF flew the first of their -400's VH-OJA LHR-SYD on it's delivery flight. Don't think that has been beaten.

From the Boeing website:

The current record -- 10,823 nautical miles (20,044 kilometers) -- was set in 1997 by the 777-200ER

Rgds SMOC

Don't forget, the A330 keeps on flying when its out of fuel...just ask Air Transat! Who knows how far it could go?:p

....and the 777-200LR is the longest range airliner in the world.

Four oil leaks connected to an electrical fault........oops thats a 146..not an A340.........:p wheres MOR when you need him