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Qantas has released the “first images” of its specially configured plane that will fly Australians non-stop from Sydney to London and New York from 2027.

The A350-1000ULR is on the Airbus assembly line in Toulouse, France, with its fuselage sections, wings and landing gear now attached, the airline said on Friday.

The aircraft would soon be transferred to a new hangar where its engines and instruments would be installed for test flights in 2026, Qantas said.

The carrier has ordered a dozen of the planes for “project sunrise” – its plan to connect Australia’s east coast with London and New York via non-stop flights.

The 22-hour flights will cut up to four hours off the total travel time compared to the current one-stop services.

The airline released the imagery on Friday to coincide with its annual general meeting in Brisbane. Images of the cabin have been released previously.

“This is an aircraft that will change what’s possible when it comes to international point-to-point air travel,” Qantas’s chief executive, Vanessa Hudson, said in an advance copy of her speech to shareholders.

“Our teams are incredibly excited for the arrival of the first aircraft late next year, a landmark moment for international aviation.”

Qantas has been flying direct from Perth, on Australia’s west coast, to London using Boeing Dreamliners since 2018.

Qantas said on Friday it expected its domestic revenue to grow by about 3% in the first half, which is at the lower end of the guidance range it provided in August.

While demand for leisure travel remained strong, businesses outside the resource sector were flying less than it had expected, the company said.

Its forecast for international revenue remained unchanged at 2-3% growth, while its Qantas loyalty program growth remained strong and on track.

Qantas said on Friday it would introduce a new cabin product on domestic and short-haul flights that would offer passengers extra leg-room, priority boarding and priority access to overhead baggage space.

Qantas Economy Plus would be available for purchase beginning in February, with high-level frequent flyers receiving complimentary access.

In this first-person narrative, Nick Cheung, undergraduate researcher, tells Nevada Today about his experience in various research labs studying the microscopic world of neurons and molecules.

The first time I stepped into Associate Professor Jenny Ouyang’s lab during my freshman year, I found myself staring at a cage of zebra finches under a glow of artificial light, thinking, ‘Okay… how much trouble can a tiny bird get into?’ Little did I know, these tiny birds would teach me more about biology and research than I ever expected. That day, I learned that curiosity can bridge the gap to experience. Sometimes the smallest creatures reveal the biggest lessons, and this was my introduction to research through the Pack Research Experience Program (PREP).

During my freshman year, a friend told me about PREP, a program designed for students with little or no research experience. Even though I doubted I’d be accepted, I decided to apply. Turns out, the application was less time-consuming than I thought. It was more like a side quest, as I didn’t have to write long essays but instead just a few paragraphs here and there. Over winter break, I opened my email and saw the word “accepted.” I was thrilled and nervous. I would be working with Dr. Ouyang, studying circadian rhythms in zebra finches. I had no prior experience, but Dr. Ouyang and her lab were incredibly kind and supportive, guiding me through experimental design, data collection and analyzing how artificial light affects gene expression. PREP not only taught me hands-on research skills but also gave me confidence, a sense of curiosity and a reminder that mentorship can make all the difference.

After getting a taste of research, I was drawn to pursue more advanced research, which led me to my current work in Associate Professor Jung Hwan Kim’s lab through the Nevada Undergraduate Research Award (NURA) program. Here, I study neurons in Drosophila, commonly known as fruit flies, focusing on Bruchpilot (BRP), a protein critical for synaptic function between the neurons that make up the brain of the creature. I’m investigating how different neurodegenerative disease models affect BRP expression and neuron length. So far, I’ve seen patterns like altered neuron length across diseases, with Huntington’s disease models showing a change in BRP expression. A major part of my project involves testing other protein’s influences on BRP localization in these disease models. This requires careful staining, imaging and quantification of expression in motor neuron cell bodies.

The work can be challenging and sometimes frustrating when nothing seems to work, but every experiment teaches me more about neurons, neurodegeneration and the research process itself. I’ve also been fortunate to have Ph.D. students in Dr. Kim’s lab guiding me. They’ve been incredibly patient and generous with their time, teaching me techniques, troubleshooting experiments and sharing tips that make the lab a place to really learn and grow.

Looking back, PREP was the push I needed to step into research, and NURA has helped me to build on that foundation. Both programs have taught me that progress isn’t always linear, mistakes are part of learning, the right mentors make all the difference and as long as you’re truly curious, you can make up for your lack of experience. If you’re considering research, I highly encourage other undergraduate students to apply for PREP or NURA; you never know where it might take you. I know for me, it started with tiny birds and a few nervous looks, and now I’m exploring neurons in fruit flies, one synapse at a time.

Nick Cheung, undergraduate researcher, three-time Undergraduate Research awardee and biotechnology major at the University of Nevada, Reno.

About the author

Nick Cheung is an undergraduate biotechnology student at the University of Nevada, Reno, set to graduate in fall 2026. He has spent countless hours exploring the microscopic world of neurons and molecules, and plans to attend graduate school to keep asking big questions.  

The fall 2025 Wolf Pack Discoveries symposium is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 4, in the Joe Crowley Student Union Milt Glick Ballrooms. Student registration closes Nov. 23.