Dassault Aviation debuts Falcon 6X long-range, twinjet bizjet aircraft

SAINT-CLOUD, France. Dassault Aviation in Saint-Cloud, France, has unveiled its Falcon 6X twinjet business jet (bizjet), a 5,500-nautical-mile (nm) aircraft scheduled to make its first flight in early 2021 and to begin deliveries in 2022.

Company engineers and officials selected Pratt & Whitney Canada’s Pure Power PW800 engines to power the Falcon 6X. It comes equipped with an advanced digital flight control and cockpit technologies, drawing on heritage from other recent Falcon models and fighter jet programs, officials say.

The 6X is largely based on the Falcon 5X aerodynamics and system features which were validated during the 5X preliminary flight test program. It has been optimized to take advantage of the new engine, offering a greater range and a longer cabin.

"We wanted to further push the boundaries with this new aircraft, to provide the best flight experience possible using today's aviation know-how," says Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. "The Falcon 6X will offer a mix of range, comfort, and capability no other large cabin business jet can match while guaranteeing fully mature systems and a proven powerplant."

The Falcon 6X has a top speed of Mach 0.90 and a maximum range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,186 km). It can fly directly from Los Angeles to Geneva, Beijing to San Francisco or Moscow to Singapore at long range cruise speed, officials say. It can also connect New York to Moscow, Paris to Beijing or Los Angeles to London at a cruise of Mach 0.85.

The Pratt & Whitney Canada Pure Power PW812D engine rated at 13,000-14,000 lbs thrust has been selected to power the Falcon 6X. The PurePower PW800 engines feature the common core technology of the Pratt & Whitney Geared Turbofan, which is shared by 16 different engine applications and have amassed over 585,000 flight hours.

The Falcon 6X is equipped with an ultra-efficient wing that minimizes the impact of turbulence and a next generation digital flight control system that controls all moving surfaces, including a novel control surface called a flaperon. The 6X is the first business jet to use a flaperon, which considerably improves control during approach, especially on steep descents.

The aircraft also comes with noise suppression systems, based heavily on experience with the new Falcon 8X, and an all-new cockpit and third-generation EASy III all digital flight deck.

It will be delivered with a full package of equipment, including Dassault's FalconSphere II electronic flight bag and the revolutionary FalconEye Combined Vision System - the first head up display to combine enhanced and synthetic vision capabilities.

All Falcon 6X systems and critical equipment will be extensively validated on the ground through new Highly Accelerated Life Tests and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening endurance campaigns intended to enhance reliability and ensure that the aircraft is fully mature from the day of first delivery.

The Falcon 6X cabin is six feet, six inches (1.98 m) high and 8 feet 6 inches (2.58 m) wide, and is nearly 40 feet 8 inches (12.3 m) long. The cabin can accommodate 16 passengers in three distinct lounge areas, affording room for multiple configurations including a large entry way/crew rest area and a spacious rear lounge.

The cabin features 29 extra-large windows including a unique galley skylight, said to be the first in business aviation, designed to provide additional brightness in an area usually devoid of natural light.

"The industry has been moving toward ever wider and higher interiors, and customers told us what they wanted most in our new Falcons was more space," Trappier adds. "So we designed the Falcon 6X from the cabin out, making it as passenger-centric as we could while still delivering the high performance and other flying qualities that customers value in Falcons."

With over 10,000 military and civil aircraft delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation has built up expertise recognized worldwide in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter, to the high-end Falcon family of business jets and military drones. In 2016, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €3.6 billion. The company has 12,000 employees.