French planemaker Dassault Aviation has just launched its new long-range Falcon 10X private jet, what the company calls a “flying penthouse”, adding an even more luxurious product to the top of the luxury jet market.
Due to enter service by late 2025, the Falcon 10X has a range of 7,500 nautical miles, allowing passengers to fly in comfort non-stop from New York to Shanghai, Los Angeles to Sydney, or Paris to Santiago.
The jet, which Dassault claims boasts unmatched levels of comfort, versatility and comfort, can reach a top speed of Mach 0.925.
According to the French planemaker, the twin-engine aircraft will be powered by the in-development Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X – the latest, largest and most powerful version of the Pearl series, delivering more than 18,000 pounds of thrust.
Dassault stated the Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X is being built to run on entirely sustainable aviation fuels.
The jet itself features an entirely new fuselage, and 38 extra-large windows, making the roomy cabin extra bright.
The 10X will have a large cabin cross section, at two metres tall and 2.8 metres wide. According to Dassault, its measurements make the 10X 20 centimetres wider and five centimetres taller than the widest and tallest purpose-built business jet flying today.
The high-speed wing will be made of carbon fibre composites for maximum strength, reduced weight and minimum drag.
Tailored for speed and efficiency, the very-high aspect ratio wing will be equipped with advanced, retractable high-lift devices offering superior maneuverability at low approach speeds.
The cabin is easily reconfigured to suit the customer’s needs, and can accommodate up to four cabin zones of equal length.
Analysts believe the 10X’s dinner party-sized cabin and marathon range would see Dassault eye-to-eye against Bombardier’s Global series and Gulfstream’s upcoming G700, as the luxury business aviation market gets tighter.
“We have set the bar for our new Falcon incredibly high,” said Dassault chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “But I can confidently say that we have put this aircraft at the top of the market.
“The Falcon 10X will offer an unrivalled passenger experience over both short- and long-duration flights, along with breakthrough safety features from Dassault’s frontline fighter technology. We have optimised every aspect of the aircraft with the passenger in mind and established a new level of capability for ultra-long-range aircraft.
“The 10X will be more than just another big step forward in business aviation. It will be absolutely the best business jet available in the ultra-long-range category, and will remain so for a long time.”
The news comes two months after Dassault’s newly-developed shorter-range widebody business jet, Falcon 6X, successfully completed its first test flight in March, marking the official beginning of the jet’s certification process.
The 6X, serial number 01, took off from the company’s Mérignac plant near Bordeaux at 2:45pm on Wednesday, 10 March, as the pilots tested the aircraft’s handling qualities, engine response and the behaviour of key aircraft systems.
The aircraft reportedly topped out at 40,000 feet and reached a speed of Mach 0.8 before returning to its base.
According to test pilots Bruno Ferry and Fabrice Valette, the Falcon 6X flew “exactly as predicted” during its two-and-a-half hour maiden flight.
The 6X has a 5,500 nautical mile range, long enough to fly non-stop between London to Hong Kong or LA to Moscow.
At the time, Trappier noted, “The 6X is the latest example of the fusion of military know-how and business aviation expertise for which Dassault Aviation is so respected.
“The new capabilities in efficiency, performance and safety it offers will set a new benchmark in the long-range segment. This airplane will also set a new standard in terms of cabin comfort and spaciousness, as demanded by our customers.”
He also indicated the aircraft is on course to be delivered to clients in 2022, while hinting, at that time, yet another new Falcon could be unveiled in “months, or even weeks”.
