Tried out one of the longest non-stop flights in the world this week, Singapore Airlines 37, from Los Angeles to Singapore. This flight, which has been a long ambition of mine to do when I had the time to do the better part of a day of flying, is a record-holder in two aspects: Not only is SQ37 the longest flight out of LAX, beating out flights to Jeddah, Dubai, and Doha, but it is also the longest scheduled flight with the standard A350-900 in the world. Only SQ21/22 from Singapore to Newark and SQ23/24 from Singapore to New York-JFK are longer, and those flights are operated with the specialized A350-900ULR variant, with a lower payload and increased fuel capacity for flights approaching a staggering 19 hours westbound. LAX sees service to Singapore both direct from SIN with both the long-haul configured standard A350-900 and the ULR, and with the 777-300ER with an intermediate stop at Tokyo-Narita. Here’s the flight.
Server: Solo
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Route: KLAX-WSSS
Seat: 20K (Business)
Time En Route: 16 Hours 21 Minutes
Boarding at Gate 130 at LAX’s Tom Bradley International Terminal. Our aircraft for this flight is 9V-SMI, a 7.5 year-old A350-941, the 77th A350-900 built. Singapore’s A350s can be distinguished by the first four characters of their registrations: Medium-haul aircraft with start with 9V-SHx, long-haul with 9V-SM, and ULRs with 9V-SGx.
Preparing to taxi with the Midfield Concourse in the background
Those Trent XWBs get you airborne quick! A nearly max-thrust takeoff with an A350-900 at almost MTOW used only slightly more runway here than a proportionally similarly-loaded 737NG. Airbus didn’t build a ground hog, that’s for sure!
Heading up the Califonia coast before turning west for the main leg of our journey across the Pacific, just west of Monterey Bay
Dawn greets us near Borneo
Beginning the intial phase of our descent
After over 16 hours in the air, we’re finally in Singapore!
Parked at Gate C22 at Changi. This aircraft will be departing to Christchurch later today.