First flight of the Falcon 6X is on track to take place by the end of this month, Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said today during a press conference outlining the company’s 2020 results. The first three development Falcon 6Xs are now completed, following the December 8 rollout of S/N 3, registered as F-WAVE.
S/Ns 1 and 2 are “heavily instrumented to accomplish all performance and systems testing.” The third aircraft is currently being outfitted with a full interior, including entertainment and communications systems, to check function and reliability. Assembly of S/Ns 4 and 5 are underway, Trappier added.
Falcon 6X S/N 1, registered as F-WSIX, began ground taxi testing last month at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport as it rapidly progresses toward its inaugural flight planned for this month. Dassault announced that test pilots Bruno Ferry and Fabrice “Tom” Valette will be at the controls of S/N 1.
Meanwhile, the Pratt & Whitney PW812D engine that powers the new twinjet has racked up more than 19,000 hours of core testing and 2,500 hours of engine testing, the latter including about 300 hours on a flying testbed with more than 6,000 cycles completed. According to Dassault, the turbofan engine has achieved all critical milestones, including endurance testing and bird-ingestion tests.
The wide-cabin Falcon 6X is scheduled to enter service in late 2022.