Virtual Meets Reality

Dassault introduced Falcon 7X s/n 001 to an audience of 800 guests Tuesday at Charles Lindbergh Hall at Dassault Aviation's Bordeaux-M�rignac facility.

"Today we have made a huge step forward in the industry," said Charles Edelstenne, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation. "Due to the new and unique design and manufacturing process called Product Lifecycle Management that we pioneered with our sister company, Dassault Systems, we have started a new industrial revolution that will take us through this century."

The 7X will accomplish many firsts. It is the first airplane ever designed and built in an entirely virtual environment using Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) philosophy. PLM sets a higher standard for the design and manufacturing process that brings collaborative teams closer together. All conflicts and issues that occur during a traditional manufacturing process are resolved before production begins resulting in an overall reduction in production time and costs. The first 7X went together exactly as planned and was assembled in seven months, about half the time required for the first production airplane.

Also, the 7X will be the first business jet to be flown with Fly by Wire (FBW) technology. FBW replaces mechanical linkage between the controls in the cockpit and the moving surfaces with electrical wires and circuits. It reduces pilot workload and increases safety.

"The business jet market has been looking for a large cabin aircraft for long range missions that can deliver superior fuel efficiency, speed and maintenance," said John Rosanvallon, President and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet. "From the response we've received from our customers, its apparent that the Falcon 7X has filled that need and will continue to do so in the coming years." Fifty firm orders from 16 countries have been already placed for the tri-jet. Six aircraft are currently in various stages of production.

The first in a series of ground tests was completed successfully on February 1st. Flight testing is scheduled to start at the beginning of the second quarter of 2005. Flight testing will last about 18 months with three aircraft. Certification and first deliveries are expected before the end of 2006.

FMI: www.3ds.com