French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation yesterday announced a program to develop a wide-body executive jet: the Falcon 10X.
Designed with a cabin wider than some regional jets, the Falcon 10X will have a range of 7500 nm and a top speed over Mach 0.9, giving non-stop legs the equivalent of LA-Sydney or New York-Shanghai.
“Today we are introducing a new benchmark in business aviation,” said Dassault Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “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.”
Among the new technologies to be developed are the two 18,000 lbf thrust Rolls Royce Pearl 10X engines and a high aspect ratio carbon-fibre wing, which will be fitted with high-lift devices to improve manoeuvreability at low speed.
Chris Cholerton, President Civil Aerospace, Rolls Royce, said: “This is a very special day for Rolls Royce and the dedicated Pearl team, who have been passionately working behind the scenes to make this programme a reality. We are extremely proud that Dassault has chosen us to power their flagship Falcon 10X, and I would like to congratulate the Dassault family as well as the Falcon team on this special occasion.
"Today marks the start of a successful partnership and, with our pioneering Pearl 10X engine and leading customer service, I look forward to supporting Dassault as they continue to impress their customers in the ultra-long-range corporate jet market."
The pressurisation system in the 10X with keep the cabin pressure altitude at 3000 feet whilst flying at FL410.
“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,” Trappier predicted.
The Falcon 10X’s flight deck will contain touchscreens throughout the cockpit and a next-generation Digital Flight Control System, derived directly from Dassault’s latest military technology, which the company says will provide an "unprecedented level of flying precision and protection".
A single smart throttle will serve as the primary power control, connecting both engines to the Digital Flight Control System which will automatically manage the power of each engine as needed in different flight scenarios.
The 10X cabin will be large enough to accommodate four cabin zones of equal length, but the interior will be designed such that owners can completely customise the cabin to suit their needs, such as an expanded dining/conference area, a dedicated entertainment area or a private stateroom.
Dassault expects to deliver the first aircraft to customers in 2025.