Singapore to New York: 5 things we learned about the longest flight in the world

New York (CNN) – A little while ago, I was on the other side of the planet.

After landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, outside of New York, after completing the maiden flight of the longest flight in the world, I can tell you this: it was an unforgettable night … followed by one day … followed by another night.

In about 17 hours and 25 minutes, we flew directly from Singapore halfway around the world aboard Singapore Airlines SQ22, now the ultra-longest ultra-long distance flight.

It was a bit of a stamina test for everyone on board – passengers and crew. The real feat, mechanical and human, that made it possible – incredible!

Marketed for business travelers, the SQ22 extends over 16,700 kilometers, flying from bird to bird, depending on the exact flight path. Siting at an altitude of about 41,000 feet at a speed of about 575 mph, the route was made possible thanks to the new ultra-efficient Airbus A350-900ULR jet that can accommodate 161 passengers. Always on board on takeoff: 111 tons of fuel.

In addition to checking the new jet, we experimented with new gadgets to maximize sleep and minimize jet lag.

This may seem strange abroad, but to reach our long distance destination, the shortest route is not a straight line. It's a curved line because the Earth is round. So we traveled a curved line almost over the world and in Canada to save fuel and valuable time.

Now that we're back on solid ground, here are five things we learned during our trip:

This is the future

The first thing I thought about this flight once we took off in Newark was: it's a revolution in aviation. These new twin-engine airliners such as the sophisticated Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the aircraft on which we fly, the Airbus A350-900ULR, are designed to make profitable very long routes.

The most surprising thing about this plane was the finesse. And it was so much quieter than expected. In fact, we were told that the average decibel level was 80 to 85 decibels. But in business class, it was actually lower: about 70 decibels. In the rear, in the Premium Economy segment, it was 80.

Bottom line: The overall performance of the aircraft was exceptional.

A service

The food was excellent. The dumplings were excellent and the beef was good. On both meals served in business class, for the second meal, I would have changed the time for later in the trip. But if you need anything, you can of course ask.

In premium economy, they serve three meals at fixed times. Hot drinks and cold snacks are available throughout the flight.

In total, more than 500 meals were served to the 161 passengers on board.

As for the crew: they were ready. They were prepared for the long haul. Even at the end of the flight, they had fresh air and continued to offer amenities to the passengers. The plane was clean – including the bathrooms – which were always clean.

Fight the jet lag

Before boarding, get ready mentally and physically for 18 hours on a plane. Exercise. Eat lightly, limit your diet to soup, for example, or just snacks. I used two gadgets designed to help jet lag – special glasses and a bracelet. I will not know if they helped before, because I have been awake since early this morning and have only slept about 5 hours in the plane. (I would have had more, but I worked willingly, at your service!)

The road

There were four possible routes we could have taken to cross the Pacific and travel to New York via the Great Circle Route, as it is called, which will take you north to Alaska. Because of the prevailing winds during our flight, the route we followed brought us north to east of China, east of Japan, east of Russia. , and landed in Alaska and northern Canada before moving further south to New York. (The route follows approximately the one shown on the map below).

This is what is called NOPAC Road. It is the preferred route because it is slightly shorter, which saves us time and energy.

Passengers on board told us that they would undoubtedly choose this ultra-long link between New York (Newark) and Singapore over the alternative, which connects New York to Frankfurt (Germany) and change of location. 39; air. According to Singapore Airlines, travelers save between 4 and 6 hours on this new route. Unlike the previous route between Newark (EWR) and Singapore (SIN), borrowed by A340-500 four-engine, I think this route will be profitable and should remain, because this new Airbus A350-900ULR is 25 years old. % more fuel efficient than the previous plane.

In fact, we landed with 8 tons of fuel in the aircraft tanks, having taken off with 111 tons. Although we had a favorable wind pushing us along. Flying in the opposite direction – from Newark to Singapore, will consume more fuel.

In-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi

I would like to go home and sleep a little, but I am still at the hour. I am about to do live TV coverage of our trip. And what an unforgettable trip!