Dassault Aviation’s Ultra-Widebody Falcon 6X Business Jet Completes Maiden Flight
On March 10, France’s Dassault Aviation successfully completed the first flight of its 16-passenger Falcon 6X, which the aerospace company says is the “first ultra-widebody business jet.” Dedicated to Olivier Dassault (the billionaire grandson of Dassault founder Marcel Dassault, who died March 8 in a helicopter crash) the flight occurred at Dassault’s Mérignac facility near Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport. Lasting over 2 hours, the flight reached an altitude of 40,000 feet (12,192 meters) and a speed of Mach 0.80. Pilots tested the response of the jet’s new-generation Pratt & Whitney PW812D engine, among other onboard systems.
Customer-Demanded Features
Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said the Falcon 6X marks the latest example of Dassault fusing its military know-how and business aviation expertise. (Along with Falcon business jets, Dassault manufactures Rafale defense aircraft.) “The new capabilities in efficiency, performance, and safety it offers will set a new benchmark in the long-range segment,” Trappier says. “This airplane will also set a new standard in terms of cabin comfort and spaciousness, as demanded by our customers.”
The Falcon 6X is set to enter service next year and will boast the tallest and widest cabin in business aviation. The 40.4-ft. (12.3 m)-long by 6.5-ft. (1.98 m)-high by 8.5-ft. (2.59 m)-wide cabin is outfitted with 30 extra-large windows and a skylight. Passengers will benefit from an advanced cabin filtration and circulation system from Liebherr-Aerospace that far exceeds minimum in-flight air quality requirements. The aircraft’s interior won an International Yacht & Aviation Award for design last year.
New Engines Spread Their Wings
Dassault says the 6X’s new Pratt & Whitney PW812D engine will set new standards in performance, fuel efficiency, and sustainability. The power plants contribute to the aircraft’s 5,500-nautical-mile (10,186-kilometer) range and Mach 0.90 top speed, and they boast a low-noise design that shares technology with Pratt & Whitney’s commercial engines.
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Source: Dassault Aviation