By Ben Forrest | August 23, 2023 Estimated reading time 6 minutes, 9 seconds.
Dassault Aviation said it has received type certificates (TCs) for its all-new Falcon 6X business jet from aviation authorities in Europe and the United States, marking a crucial milestone toward entering service.
The company announced Aug. 22, 2023, it has received TCs from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
This follows an intensive two-year testing program that logged 1,500 flight hours in a new aircraft that incorporates the “best features” from Dassault’s business and fighter jet lines, the company said.
“The certification of the Falcon 6X is a remarkable milestone for Dassault Aviation,” said Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, in a statement.
“We would like to recognize the EASA and FAA certification teams for their commitment in this demanding process and our customers for their confidence.”
Dassault began developing the Falcon 6X in 2018, after cancelling its Falcon 5X program, and the aircraft achieved its first flight in 2021.
Entry into service is slightly behind schedule; the company initially planned to begin deliveries in 2022. Dassault said the first Falcon 6X units are currently undergoing completion, but did not indicate when deliveries will begin.
In a backgrounder on its website, the company said entry into service was expected “mid-2023.”
With a stated range of up to 5,500 nautical miles (10,186 kilometers), the Falcon 6X is said to have the longest range in its class, coupled with the Falcon line’s typical short-field takeoff and landing capabilities.
The 6X is capable of flying at Mach 0.85 via twin Pratt & Whitney PW812D turbofan engines, each with 13,500 pounds of thrust. Its spacious cabin has a passenger capacity of up to 16 people, with individual seating in three separate lounge areas.
Pratt & Whitney certified the PW812D engine with Transport Canada in 2021, delivering a “double-digit improvement in fuel efficiency,” Dassault said.
The engine is also compatible with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for up to 50 percent of its load, and routinely flew with SAF mixtures during the Falcon 6X flight test program, per Dassault.
The Falcon 6X is built with long-haul international flights in mind, with city pairs including Los Angeles to Geneva, Switzerland, at long-range cruise speed; and Paris to Beijing at Mach 0.85.
Dassault also designed the aircraft to land with large fuel loads, providing short-hop capabilities to pick up passengers at domestic airports — including Washington, D.C., to New York — before continuing overseas.
For pilots, the Falcon 6X offers more headroom, window space for better situational awareness, and a broader cockpit with added storage space. Its next-generation digital flight control system (DFCS) commands the aircraft’s slats, flaps, and all other flight control surfaces, “further simplifying the pilot’s workload for optimized, safer performance,” the company said.
Dassault’s FalconEye combined vision system (CVS) is also standard on the 6X — a head-up display that blends synthetic terrain imaging and actual thermal and low-light camera images into a single view.
“The Falcon 6X is the first brand-new business jet to comply with the latest regulations, which will enhance the safety and security of all new aircraft,” said Trappier.
