EASA Restores Falcon 7X Flight Envelope

Effective yesterday, an EASA Airworthiness Directive (AD) has restored the full original flight envelope for the Dassault Falcon 7X, providing the fly-by-wire control system is updated. Dassault has developed a modification of the system to improve “the monitoring and reversion logic of the horizontal stabilizer trim system,” EASA said. This modification results in “earlier failure detection and quicker reversion.” Dassault has released accompanying revisions of the aircraft flight manual and aircraft maintenance manual, thus introducing operational tests of the trim. Although it restores the flight envelope, the AD is still regarded as an interim measure. Further EASA action might follow to restore the full original certified minimum equipment list. The Falcon 7X was subject to restrictions, notably a Mach 0.85 Mmo instead of Mach 0.90, after the May runaway pitch trim incident that sparked a grounding and, later, limitations. A production defect in the horizontal stabilizer electronic control unit was corrected.