Dassault Falcon 7X
Falcon 7X/8X | |
---|---|
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A Falcon 7X on final approach to Vnukovo International Airport in 2013 | |
Role | Intercontinental Business jet |
National origin | France |
Manufacturer | Dassault Aviation |
Designer | Richard Petri |
First flight | 5 May 2005 (7X) 6 February 2015 (8X)[1] |
Introduction | 8X : 5 October 2016 with Amjet Executive[2] |
Status | In production |
Primary users | 7X : Flying Group (Antwerp), 5 7X, 4 : Shell Oil, Dassault Falcon Service, Volkswagen AG[3] |
Produced | 2005-present |
Number built | 260+ (7X),[3] 4 (8X) |
Developed from | Falcon 900 |
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, long range trijet manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the flagship offering of its business jet line. It was first presented to the public at the 2005 Paris Air Show. The Falcon 8X is derived from the 7X with longer range afforded by engine optimizing, aerodynamic refinements and an increase in fuel capacity.[4] They are the only trijets in production along the Falcon 900, having an S-duct central engine.
Falcon 7X
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Dassault_Falcon_7X_assembly_line_at_Merignac.jpg/220px-Dassault_Falcon_7X_assembly_line_at_Merignac.jpg)
The aircraft has received its type certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 27 April 2007.[5] The first 7X, MSN05, entered service on 15 June 2007.[6] The hundredth was delivered in November 2010.[7] It conducted high altitude airport tests at 14,500 ft in Daocheng in 2014.[8]
Price
In 2001, the Falcon 7X, at approximately $35 million (pre-production order price), was nearly $10 million cheaper than its nearest competitors in the long range, large cabin market segment, the Gulfstream G550 and Bombardier Global Express.[9] Its 2007 price was $41 million.[10] In 2008, the smaller Global Express 5000 was priced at $40M.[11]
Design
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/64/Dassault_Falcon_7X.jpg/220px-Dassault_Falcon_7X.jpg)
The Falcon 7X is a three-engined cantilever monoplane with a low-positioned, high swept wing, it has a horizontal stabiliser at mid-height and a retractable tricycle landing gear, three rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney PW307A turbofan engines : two on the side of the fuselage and one in a center position, and room for 20 passengers and two crew.[12] It is the first production Falcon jet to offer winglets.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/Dassault_Falcon_7X%2C_Dassault_Aviation_JP7339406.jpg/220px-Dassault_Falcon_7X%2C_Dassault_Aviation_JP7339406.jpg)
It is the first fully fly-by-wire business jet and is equipped with the same avionics suite, the Honeywell Primus Epic "Enhanced Avionics System" (EASy), that was used on the Falcon 900EX and later on the Falcon 2000EX.[13]
The Falcon 7X is notable for its extensive use of computer-aided design, the manufacturer claiming it to be the "first aircraft to be designed entirely on a virtual platform", using Dassault Systemes' CATIA and PLM products.[14]
In February 2010, Dassault Falcon and BMW Designworks were awarded the 2009 Good Design Award by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design for their collaboration on the new Falcon 7X interior option.[15]
Pitch trim incident
EASA grounded the Falcon 7X fleet after a report from Dassault Aviation regarding “an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent” in one of its jets in May 2011.[16][17] The aircraft pitched up to 41 degrees, with load factor increasing to 4.6g, it climbed from 13,000 to 22,500 ft and the airspeed went from 300 to 125 kts.[18]
"This condition, if occurring again, could lead to loss of control of the aeroplane," the EASA notice said.[19] Initial results of investigation showed that there was a production defect in the Horizontal Stabilizer Electronic Control Unit which could have contributed to the cause of the event.[20] Dassault Aviation developed modifications in June 2011 to allow a return to flight.[21]
After four years of investigation, the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile published its Final report in June 2016. It was found that incorrect nose-up commands to the trimmable horizontal stabilizer were caused by a soldering defect on the pin of its electronic control unit provided by Rockwell Collins.[18]
Teterboro-London City record
On May 2, 2014, Dassault Falcon pilots Philippe Deleume and Olivier Froment set a new speed record for the Falcon 7X on a 5 hr 54 min flight from New York Teterboro Airport to London City Airport with three passengers on board.[22]
Falcon 8X
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Dassault_Falcon_8X_at_PAS15.jpg/220px-Dassault_Falcon_8X_at_PAS15.jpg)
The 6,450 nm (11,945 km) range Falcon 8X was announced at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in May 2014. Its cabin is 3.5 feet longer than the 7X. With improvements to wing design and improved Pratt & Whitney Canada PW300, the 8X is up to 35% more fuel efficient than its competitors.[23]
The prototype, registered F-WWQA, first flew from Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport on 6 February 2015.[1] The Falcon 8X was added as a subtype of the Falcon 7X on the EASA type certificate on 24 June 2016 as modification M1000 for S/N 0401 and ongoing.[12] Dassault delivered the first Falcon 8X on 5 October 2016 to Greek business aviation operator Amjet Executive.[2]
Operators
Civil operators
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/GIS_Aviation_Dassault_Falcon_7X_at_Kyiv_Zhuliany.jpg/220px-GIS_Aviation_Dassault_Falcon_7X_at_Kyiv_Zhuliany.jpg)
More than 260 Falcon 7X have been delivered between mid-2007 March 2016 and the fleet was flown more than 440,000 hours. 117 aircraft are in Europe, 45% of the fleet : 18 in Switzerland, 13 in France, 8 in Luxembourg, 7 in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Portugal, 6 in Russia, 4 in Ukraine among others. Antwerp's Flying Group operates 5 aircraft, Shell Oil has 4 in Rotterdam and Dassault Falcon Service at Paris-Le Bourget manages 4, as Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg. 20% of the fleeet is in North America : more than 50 in the U.S., 6 in Canada and 5 in Mexico. In Asia-Pacific, 14 are in Hong Kong and 11 in China among others.[3]
- Saudia (Saudia private aviation - SPA) : 4 Falcon 7X
Government and military operators
Ecuador
- Ecuadorian Air Force : 1 Falcon 7X (ID: FAE 052) for long distance travel along the presidential Embraer Legacy 600. Delivered November 4, 2013; first official trip November 25, 2013.
France
- Escadron de transport 60 (government members air transport) : 2 Falcon 7X.[3][24] Being used primarily by then-president Nicolas Sarkozy, the first shipped airplane was nicknamed "Carla One" by French newspapers, in reference to Carla Bruni, then French First Lady.[25][26]
Monaco
- Albert II, Prince of Monaco - 1 Falcon 7X since 2013.[27]
Namibia
- Namibia - government : 1 Falcon 7X[28]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Dassault_Falcon_7X%2C_Nigeria_-_Air_Force_JP7581359.jpg/220px-Dassault_Falcon_7X%2C_Nigeria_-_Air_Force_JP7581359.jpg)
Nigeria
- Nigerian Air Force - 1 Falcon 7X
Egypt
- Egyptian Air Force - 4 Falcon 7X Order[29][30]
Specifications
Variant | 7X[31] | 8X[32] |
---|---|---|
Crew | 2 pilots + 1 crew[12] | |
Capacity | 12 to 16 passengers | |
Headroom | 1.88 m / 74 in | |
Cabin width | 2.34 m / 92 in | |
Cabin length [a] | 11.91 m / 39.07 ft | 13 m / 42.67 ft |
Length | 23.19 m / 76.08 ft | 24.46 m / 80.2 ft |
Height | 7.83 m / 25.67 ft | 7.94 m / 26.1 ft |
Wingspan | 26.21 m / 86.00 ft | 26.29 m / 86.25 ft |
Wing area | 70.7 m² (761 ft²)[12] | |
Wing loading | 449 kg/m² | 468 kg/m² |
Max takeoff weight | 31,751 kg / 70,000 lb | 33,113 kg / 73,000 lb |
Max landing weight | 28,304 kg / 62,400 lb | |
Max zero fuel weight | 18,598 kg / 41,000 lb | |
Fuel capacity | 14,488 kg / 31,940 lb | 15,830 kg / 34,900 lb |
Basic Operating Weight[33] | 16,600 kg (36,600 lb) | 16,375 kg (36,100 lb) |
turbofans (×3) | Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A | Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307D |
Thrust | 28.48 kN / 6,402 lb | 29.9 kN / 6,722 lb |
Range (8 passengers) | 11,019 km / 5,950 nmi | 11,945 km / 6,450 nmi |
Ceiling | 15,545 m / 51,000 ft | |
Max speed | Mach 0.9 (956 km/h; 594 mph) | |
Cruise speed | Mach 0.8 (850 km/h; 528 mph) | |
Approach IAS[b] | 193 km/h / 104 kt | 197 km/h / 106 kt |
Landing[b] | 631 m / 2,070 ft | 656 m / 2,150 ft |
Takeoff (BFL, MTOW, SL, ISA) | 1,740 m / 5,710 ft | 1,829 m / 6,000 ft |
Avionics | Falcon EASy Flight Deck |
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
- ^ a b "MAIDEN FLIGHT: "Smooth" sortie opens Falcon 8X test campaign". Flight Global. 6 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Dassault delivers first Falcon 8X to Greece's Amjet Executive". Flight Global. October 6, 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Operators Survey: Dassault Falcon 7X". Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. March 24, 2016.
- ^ William Garvey (May 19, 2014). "Dassault Expands Falcon Family With 8X". Aviation Week.
- ^ "Dassault Falcon 7X Earns EASA and FAA Certification" (Press release). Dassault Falcon. April 27, 2007.
- ^ "Falcon 7X enters service". Flight Global. June 15, 2007.
- ^ "Dassault scores a century with 7X". Flight Global. 26 November 2010.
- ^ Sarsfield, Kate (23 September 2014), "Dassault Falcon 7X set to operate from world's highest commercial airport", Flightglobal, Reed Business Information
- ^ "Falcon 7X Trades Unwanted Range For a Price Tag Lower by $10 Million". Business & Commercial Aviation. 2001.
- ^ Murdo Morrison (May 2, 2007). "Onboard the 7X..." Flight International.
- ^ "Bombardier Global 5000 in the sweet spot". Flight Global. 6 October 2008.
- ^ a b c d "type certificate data sheet" (PDF). EASA. 24 June 2016.
- ^ "Pilot Report On Falcon 7X Fly-By-Wire Control System". Aviation Week & Space Technology. May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation and Dassault Systèmes Make Industry History -- Falcon 7X Jet Becomes First Aircraft Entirely Developed on Virtual Platform" (Press release). Dassault Systèmes. May 24, 2004.
- ^ "Dassault's Falcon 7X BMW Interior Option Wins Design Award" (Press release). February 5, 2010.
- ^ Sarsfield, Kate (26 May 2011). "EASA grounds Dassault Falcon 7X after pitch trim incident". Flight Global.
- ^ "EASA Grounds Falcon 7X Fleet". Aviation Week. May 26, 2011.
- ^ a b "Serious incident to a Dassault Falcon 7X, registered HB-JFN on 05/24/2011 at Subang (Malaisie)". Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile. June 13, 2016.
- ^ "Emergency Airworthiness Directive No. 2011-0102-E". EASA. May 26, 2011.
- ^ "Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2011-0114-E". EASA. 16 June 2011.
- ^ "Dassault says Falcon 7x is now back in the air". Reuters. June 16, 2011.
- ^ Haria, Rupa. "Falcon 7X Sets New Speed Record". Aviation Week.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation Reveals First Falcon 8X" (Press release). Dassault Aviation. December 17, 2014.
- ^ "Escadron de transport 60" (in French). French Air Force. 11 August 2016.
- ^ "Voici "Carla one", le nouvel avion de Sarkozy" (in French). Le Parisien. July 10, 2009.
- ^ "Le nouvel avion de Nicolas Sarkozy" (in French). Le Point. July 9, 2009.
- ^ "Albert s'offre l'avion de ses rêves" (in French). Paris Match. 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Government defends new Falcon". The Namibian. March 18, 2009.
- ^ "Egypt to buy 4 Falcon 7X from Dassault for $337M". Ecofin Agency. 18 August 2016.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation vend quatre Falcon 7X à l'Egypte" (in French). La Tribune. 20 August 2016.
- ^ "Falcon 7X". Dassault Aviation.
- ^ "Falcon 8X". Dassault Aviation.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
BCA2016
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Falcon 7X
- Falcon 8X
- J. Mac McClellan (October 26, 2008). "Falcon 7X Pilot Report". Flying Magazine.
- "Pilot Report: Dassault Falcon 8X". Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. October 29, 2015.