Photo: Dassault Aviation
The highly-anticipated Falcon 10X, Dassault Aviation’s new business jet that promises to break the norm in terms of long-range, has finally entered the production phase. It will benefit from innovative ground testing as well, and it’s gearing up to take to the sky soon.
While some daring aviation projects are at a crossroad, the business jet sector is doing just fine. One of the biggest players, the French manufacturer Dassault, looks to be on track with both the Falcon 6X and the Falcon 10X.
The brand’s first jet to be powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, the Falcon 10X is meant to revolutionize the ultra-long range segment while also offering the biggest cabin available in its category. The new Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X delivers over 18,000 lbs of thrust. Powered by two of these, the new jet claims an impressive range of 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 miles/13,890 km) and a top speed of Mach 0.925 (685.5 mph).
Dassault announced that it’s ready to start producing the initial subassemblies for the Falcon 10X. These include the landing gear and a fully-representative composite wing that will undergo static and fatigue testing. The French manufacturer also plans to demonstrate the maturity of all systems through ground testing, even before the first flight – which is said to be an innovative approach to testing.
To do so, it will use two test benches at its flight test center in Istres, France, each of them featuring a full flight deck and subsystems computer suites just like those on the future aircraft. There’s also a third bench at a different location dedicated to testing the flight control system.
At the same time, Rolls-Royce is closer to certifying the Pearl 10X. The flight test campaign for the new engine is scheduled for next year.
Dassault claims that the Falcon 10X will become the largest purpose-built business jet in operation.
The brand’s first jet to be powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, the Falcon 10X is meant to revolutionize the ultra-long range segment while also offering the biggest cabin available in its category. The new Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X delivers over 18,000 lbs of thrust. Powered by two of these, the new jet claims an impressive range of 7,500 nautical miles (8,630 miles/13,890 km) and a top speed of Mach 0.925 (685.5 mph).
Dassault announced that it’s ready to start producing the initial subassemblies for the Falcon 10X. These include the landing gear and a fully-representative composite wing that will undergo static and fatigue testing. The French manufacturer also plans to demonstrate the maturity of all systems through ground testing, even before the first flight – which is said to be an innovative approach to testing.
To do so, it will use two test benches at its flight test center in Istres, France, each of them featuring a full flight deck and subsystems computer suites just like those on the future aircraft. There’s also a third bench at a different location dedicated to testing the flight control system.
At the same time, Rolls-Royce is closer to certifying the Pearl 10X. The flight test campaign for the new engine is scheduled for next year.
Dassault claims that the Falcon 10X will become the largest purpose-built business jet in operation.
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