Dassault Aviation unveiled its first completed Falcon 6X in a virtual event on December 8 from the company’s Merignac hangar in Bordeaux, France. The event was hosted by TV journalist and pilot Miles O’Brien. Approximately 4,000 people tuned in from around the globe for the event.
The 6X is the successor to the 5X program that was scrubbed three years ago following problems with the Safran Silvercrest engine chosen to power that new aircraft. Just two months after the Safran engine debacle, Dassault launched the 6X using the same fuselage as the 5X, but this time to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D engine. Pratt & Whitney president Maria Della Posta said during the presentation that “the new engine will require 40 percent less scheduled maintenance activity and 20 percent fewer inspections than previous engines.” The aircraft will employ the same digital flight control system used in other recent Falcon aircraft, as well as the FalconEye combined vision system.
Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier told O’Brien the “key goals of the new design were comfort and efficiency. With a range of 5,500 nm, trips like Los Angeles to Moscow nonstop are now possible.” At a cruise speed of Mach 0.80, New York to Buenos Aries or to Honolulu is possible with eight passengers and a crew of three. The 6X is capable of cruising as high as 51,000 feet. At 40 feet 4 inches long, 78 inches tall and 102 inches wide, the 6X cabin is the largest of any long-range business jet, besting even that of Dassault’s Falcon 8X. The company expects to fly the 6X for the first time in early 2021.
