Dassault's new Falcon 6X wide-body executive jet has entered the final stages of certification as the French manufacturer began production on the 10X ultra long-range jet.
Dassault Aviation Chairman Eric Trappier briefed the industry at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) convention and exhibition in Orlando, Florida, overnight, saying the 6X was on target to enter service mid next year.
"The 6X has distinguished itself as an extremely remarkable aircraft, sailing through its certification campaign and consistently wowing pilots and engineers with its flawless performance,” Trappier said. “It will soon be impressing customers, too.”
Dassault subjected 6X test articles to hot-and-high testing in 48oC temperatures in Tunisia, cold-soak evaluation in Canada down to -38oC and high elevation testing at Telluride, Colorado, operating from a 9000-feet high runway.
The company then took a 6X test platform on a world tour, covering 50,000 nm over five continents.
"The tour was a rigorous real world test to ensure Dassault can deliver a mature product with full operational readiness of all systems from day one,” said Trappier. “Pilots gave all systems, including new features of the EASy IV flight deck, high marks and assessed performance as ‘spot on’.
The 6X operated at a high tempo, logging up to five flights on some days. The longest leg of the tour was Paris to Los Angeles, flown in 11 hours and 25 minutes. The flight, which covered 5150 nm against a headwind was completed with fuel reserves intact.
Dassault currently has 19 6X airframes in various stages of production, with three customer aircraft in final fit-out at the company's plant in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The company is also starting to make sub-assemblies for the 10X ultra long-range Mach 0.9 business jet, which was announced as a project in only May last year.
“All the elements for another great Falcon are literally coming together in our various production facilities,” remarked Trappier. “This new aircraft, the largest purpose-built business jet on the market, will embody the latest technology and set a new benchmark for passenger experience.”
The Falcon 10X will be fitted with specially-developed Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engines, which output 18,000 lbf of thrust and will run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Testing of the 10X engines is reportedly progressing well with the performance matching the pre-test predictions.