Dassault Crew Sets Out to Test Falcon 6X Jules Verne Style

Dassault flight-test crews are making ready to embark on a grueling, global proving campaign to ensure the company’s Falcon 6X, ultra wide-body, business aircraft meets its ambitious performance and reliability goals.

The one-month, forty-stop, 150-hour campaign is set to begin in June, and is scheduled to comprise a number of long and short haul legs across Europe, and between North and South America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Flights of 10-12 hours will alternate with quick, short hops. Along the way, the aircraft will perform long night flights, high-speed long runs at Mach 0.88, and up to seven short, flight-segments per a day.

To date, three Falcon 6X test aircraft have accumulated more than 850 hours of flight time. The trio is presently being evaluated by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Aircraft number four—the first production unit—is equipped with a full interior and is on display at EBACE. Subject aircraft will take part in the proving tour. Meanwhile, a fifth aircraft is currently being fitted out at Dassault Aviation’s Little Rock, Arkansas completion facility, with a sixth set to arrive in the coming days.

The proving campaign aircraft will carry a full crew of Dassault pilots, flight attendants, engineers and interior specialists. This team will test 250 different evaluation points for purpose of ensuring the reliability of the aircraft and onboard systems in real world operating conditions prior to initial customer deliveries.

Whether or not Phileas Fogg is among the test-team members remains unknown.

FMI: www.dassaultfalcon.com/en/Aircraft/Models/6X/Pages/overview.aspx