A research flight set to test human limits on long-haul flights during what will be the first commercial flight to travel non-stop from New York to Sydney has departed John F. Kennedy International Airport. With 50 passengers and crew on board acting as ultra long-haul guinea pigs, the Qantas Flight 7879 is expected to complete the 10,200-mile journey in 19-and-a-half hours, subject to wind and weather conditions. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight is the first of three test flights, dubbed by the airline as "project sunrise," which will run in October, November and December to gather data. The next test flight will take place in November, from London to Sydney, while there will be another New York to Sydney flight before the end of the year. After the test flights, the new planes will enter commercial service.

Source: CNN October 19, 2019 10:41 UTC