Falcon 8X set for summer certification

Falcon 8X

Dassault says its new $58 million Falcon 8X will be certificated by both the FAA and EASA during the summer.

The aircraft was announced in early 2014 as a one meter stretch of the 260+ selling Falcon 7X.

As well as a longer fuselage, the Falcon 8X has a 450nm range boost over the 7X.

As part of the certification effort Dassault sent the third Falcon 8X on a global tour. As well as showing the aircraft to potential clients, Dassault used the tour as a way of gathering data on the aircraft’s interior configuration.

“Feedback from the operational trials – cabin comfort, air conditioning, and in particular cabin noise – was excellent,” said Olivier Villa, senior vice president, Dassault Aviation Civil Aircraft. “Dassault has incorporated new innovations with the aircraft insulation which will allow us to lower the noise level by 2dB compared to the Falcon 7X, currently the quietest aircraft in the industry.”

The company says it will sell both the Falcon 7X and 8X for the time being, and will decide later on the future of the smaller 7X.