The first flight of the Falcon 6X took place on March 10, 2021. Now three prototypes are taking part in certification tests. The fourth, which will later become a demonstrator, will take off shortly. Pratt & Whitney Canada is in the final stages of the certification process for the PW812D engine for the 6X and all necessary testing has been completed. Final flight testing is currently underway with Transport Canada and certification is expected to follow soon.
Each prototype is flown two or three times a week for several hours. Pilots have already appreciated the ease of control of the aircraft. As Philippe Duchateau, Chief Test Pilot, Dassault Aviation, said, “The performance of the 6X is truly outstanding, even by our exacting standards. We are very pleased with how the aircraft performs during the test campaign.”
Prototype #3 is equipped with a full cockpit and is used for acoustic and thermal testing, as well as evaluating cabin airtightness and airflow for maximum passenger comfort. Engineers are confident they can achieve the same low noise levels as the Falcon 8X, currently the quietest aircraft in business aviation.
The first production aircraft No. 4 – with a fully equipped interior – will serve as a demonstrator of the operational maturity of all systems. He is expected to embark on a world tour in mid-2022. Initial delivery of the green 6X to Dassault’s Little Rock, Arkansas plant is scheduled for early next year. It is here that they will receive new interiors.
Dassault technical support is in the final stages of preparing for the entry into service of the aircraft (at the end of 2022). Spare parts are already on order for delivery to strategic locations around the world to ensure maximum support for flight departments from day one. “Like any other test campaign, there is still significant testing to be done,” said Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier, “but so far our test engineers are really happy with the pace at which we are achieving key milestones.”
The Falcon 6X has received several prestigious design awards, including the Red Dot Award for Premium Cabin Design. The business jet is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW812D (D for Dassault) engines, each developing 13,500 pounds of thrust. The PW812D engines are equipped with a 44″ monobloc fan, have a bypass ratio of 4.5:1 to 5:1, and are equipped with a low-emission Talon X combustion chamber.
The 6X has the largest cross-sectional dimensions of any purpose-built business jet, measuring 78 inches (1.98 m) high and 102 inches (2.6 m) wide. The three lounge areas of the cabin can accommodate up to 16 passengers. Compared to earlier Falcons, the seat aisle in the 6X is five inches wider. Luggage is placed in a compartment with a volume of 155 cubic meters. feet in a pressurized circuit, in addition, there is also one unpressurized compartment with a volume of 76 cubic meters. ft.
The maximum range of the 6X carrying eight passengers and three crew at a cruising speed of Mach 0.80 is 5500 nautical miles and at Mach 0.85 it is 5100 nautical miles. The maximum speed is Mach 0.90 and the maximum altitude is 51,000 feet.
A new design feature on the 6X that makes it easier to operate on short runways is the fly-by-wire flight control system that uses electrically operated flaps and flaperons. This allows the flaperons to act as flaps (increasing lift) and as ailerons (roll control), a first for a business jet. With the control surfaces working in tandem, increasing the aerodynamic quality of the aircraft improves visibility, control and comfort on steep approach approaches, as well as a low approach speed of 109 knots at a typical landing weight. Takeoff distance at sea level and at maximum takeoff weight is 5480 feet.
The cockpit is equipped with the latest version of EASy III avionics based on Honeywell Epic with four 14.1-inch displays, Honeywell IntuVue RDR-4000 radar and a FalconEye head-up display with a combined vision system (superimposed image of synthetic and enhanced vision systems). FalconEye is standard on the 6X and was developed in partnership with Elbit Systems.
Photo: dassaultfalcon.com
