The Dassault Falcon 6X, the new large-cabin jet, is well on its way to 2022 certification, having already logged more than 600 flight hours. The company provided additional information on the program as the cabin mock-up is on display at the Singapore Air Show.
The test program for the aircraft is going well, and the aircraft, which has a range of 5,500 nm, has already entered production prior to EASA certification. One of the three test airplanes crossed the Atlantic for cold-weather testing in December, and the first production article arrived on January 29th in Little Rock at Falcon’s completion facility for an interior installation. From an environmental standpoint, test aircraft number 3 has also flown on a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) 50% mix during certification test flights.
Cold Weather Testing
Cold weather testing was conducted in Canada at Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island. During two nights of coal soak trials, the prototype faced temperatures between -4 and -13 degrees Fahrenheit followed by a local flight of 1 hour and 25 minutes in cold conditions. Additional tests will follow with temperatures of -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
High Speed and Handling Tests
In January, Dassault’s test pilots pushed the Falcon 6X to Mach .95 in a behavior test beyond the maximum operating speed (Mmo) of Mach 0.9. Additional tests closer to Mach 1 are planned that include flight control tests, rolling left and right to 30 degrees, and deploying full-up air brakes. Tests for take-offs and landings under multiple CG, flap, and power configurations have been completed and will be followed by tailwind and crosswind testing.
The engines for the Falcon 6X, the Pratt & Whitney 812D, have already been certified by Transport Canada, with EASA and FAA certification to follow shortly. The engine program included more than 4,900 hours of testing and has been operating on a 50% SAF and 50% standard kerosene. The PW812D requires 40% less scheduled maintenance than the previous generation of engines, and is the most efficient in its thrust class, sharing many design characteristics with the GTF commercial engine core.
A Wide and Award-Winning Interior
Interiors have been installed on Aircraft 3 and 4, and aircraft 4 will embark on a global demonstration tour of the aircraft later this year. The 6X has the largest cabin cross-section in business aviation (until the Falcon 10X is introduced).
The 6X interior has won two prestigious awards, the Red Dot Prize, which has previously been won by Apple and Porsche, and the International Yacht and Aviation Award from the UK-based magazine. The cabin width of the 6X provides a unique advantage over the competition.
Bottom Line
Dassault Falcon is currently on schedule for a 2022 certification of the Falcon 6X, which will change the competitive dynamics in the large cabin intercontinental segment. Dassault sales, which have lagged in recent years, should get a substantial boost from the new model, which has emerged as a leader in its class.
