18 May 2023

Dassault highlights latest planes, upgrades at EBACE

Falcon 6X and 10X, Falcon 2000LXS twin and l'8X trijet oltre al nuovo modello 10X in addition to the new 10X model

Dassault Aviation will showcase its latest and largest jets, the twin-engined Falcon 6X and 10X, at this year’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, which opens May 23 in Geneva. Dassault’s most popular in-production models, the Falcon 2000LXS twin and the 8X trijet, will be featured on the static display as well. EBACE will also be a fitting venue to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Falcon brand. Since the introduction of its first business jet, the Falcon 20, the company has established itself as one of the industry’s leading OEM’s, with more than 2,700 aircraft delivered, 2,100 units in operation, and over 20 million fleet hours flown.

Falcon 6X

The third Falcon 6X flight test aircraft, equipped with a fully fitted cabin interior, will head this year’s exhibit. Before its arrival in Geneva, the aircraft endured a gauntlet of extreme hot and cold temperature soaks and flooded runway trials as well as high-altitude, high-speed testing.

The 5,500 nm 6X has the largest cabin cross section in business aviation, with stand-up height of six-feet, six-inches. It will reign as business aviation’s largest cabin until the even larger, longer- range Falcon 10X enters service. Like the 10X, the 6X interior has received the coveted Red Dot award for its sleek, modern, and high-productivity design. During a 100 hour-plus global proving campaign, passengers praised its superior comfort, low noise levels—the lowest ever on a Falcon--and reliable high-speed connectivity.

The 6X recently completed its certification flight test program after accumulating 1,480 hours in the air over 580 flights. The company anticipates certification in the coming weeks, with the entry into service to follow.

Dassault factory service centers around the world are already being equipped and staffed so they are fully ready for the new aircraft. A state-of-the-art CAE simulator is in operation at CAE’s Burgess Hill, UK training center, with first customer type certification classes set to begin soon. A dedicated team has been formed to manage and coordinate all entry-into-service training and preparations activities.

Falcon 2000LXS

The Falcon 2000LXS twin on view in Geneva will feature a modern two-zone cabin and a range of new options designed to keep this highly economical, 4,000 nm short-field champion at the top of its market segment. New capabilities include high-speed Internet/WiFi, and Dassault’s unique FalconEye Combined Vision System, which permits low visibility approaches down to 100 ft. The 2000 series has been continuously updated through several variants and has proven to be Dassault’s best seller year in year out. Nearly 700 have been delivered to date.

Ultra-long-range Falcon 8X

The Dassault exhibit will show the very-long-range Falcon 8X trijet equipped with the latest and most capable generation of Dassault’s leading edge EASy flight deck-EASy IV. Restyled in 2021 to include elements of the Falcon 6X cabin environment, the Falcon 8X provides 6,450 nm range and best-in-class operating economy. The 8X has also received acoustics improvements that drive noise levels below 50 dB, further consolidating the aircraft’s reputation as the currently quietest business jet on the market. The 8X is known for its exceptional maneuverability and short field capability, with stable approach speeds as low as 107 knots. Its digital flight controls are an advanced version of those pioneered on the Falcon 7X. Nearly 400 Falcon 7X and 8X aircraft have been delivered to date.

New 10X mockup

One of the highlights of the Dassault display will be a full flight deck and cabin mockup of the Falcon 10X, which will be the largest purpose-built business jet on the market. The Mach 0.925, 7,500 nm 10X has already won two awards: the Chicago Atheneum award for Good Design and the Red Dot Design Award, two of the world’s most prestigious design trophies.

Like the actual 10X cabin, the 65 foot long mockup is modular in design, making it possible to display different modules and layouts at each trade show. The EBACE version will feature an extended dining area that permits the installation of individuals sliding seats. A separate mockup will showcase Dassault’s new Falcon Privacy Suite, a cocoon-like personal space that will afford greater peace and quiet on long intercontinental flights. The suite - the first on a purpose-built business jet: is equipped with an electrically operated seat that reclines to a lie-flat bed for a more comfortable and restful sleep. It will also be available on the Falcon 6X and 8X. A third mockup showing the master bathroom option with its two-window shower will also be on view.

Parts production for the Falcon 10X is already underway and assembly of the first airframe is gathering pace. A prototype of the aircraft’s all carbon fiber wing is in the final stages of static and fatigue testing and a series of revolutionary multi-system test benches: intended to demonstrate the maturity of all systems before the aircraft even takes to the air: is up and running. Several novel design features, including the aircraft’s innovative Smart Throttle, have entered testing on a full flight deck bench in Saint Cloud, near Paris. The 10X’s 18,000+ pound thrust Rolls Royce Pearl engine has completed extensive ground tests, including on 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The engine is expected to fly on a Boeing 747 flying test bed later this year.

Edited by editorial staff, Avion Luxury Magazine

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