Business Aviation Market Intelligence

New, Big Falcons Suit Asia-Pacific

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New, Big Falcons Suit Asia-Pacific
Dassault Aviation

It is a big world out there, especially when business takes you from the Asia-Pacific region to the major cities of Europe and North America. 

From Tokyo, it is 9,700 km to Paris. From Sydney, it is 12,100 kilometers to Los Angeles. These are 12 – 15 hour nonstop trips. Dassault engineers and executives wondered how they could they deliver a better passenger experience over those vast ranges. 

Their conclusion: make occupants feel more as if they were in their own homes than in a business jet.  

The flying penthouse 

Accordingly, Dassault Aviation has introduced two new airplanes that are the biggest among purpose-built business jets (not converted airliners). The Falcon 6X, which is 1.98m tall by 2.58m wide, is eclipsed in size only by the Falcon 10X and its 2.03m by 2.77m cabin. Competitors are as much as 28 cm narrower.  

The best of contemporary home design—in a jet  

Dassault’s in-house Design Studio set a new standard for contemporary business jets, as recognized by honors such as the prestigious Red Dot award for industrial design. In the 6X, lines are less angular and more fluid; the furniture  appears lighter and leaner. Open armrests, for example, accentuate the impression of spaciousness. Aisle width is about 15 cm greater than competitors, easing movement about the cabin.  

The typical cabin arrangement (which is customizable) is a four-place club seating arrangement forward, followed by a dining/conference table and opposite credenza, and then by an aft compartment with two divans for socializing or sleeping. Optionally, this space makes a comfortable private stateroom.  

Cabin pressurization is a low 3,900 feet at a cruise altitude of 41,000 feet (on the 10X, it’s even lower at 3,000 feet). A low cabin pressure altitude reduces fatigue. The 6X and 10X cabins are real fatigue reducers compared to airline cabins at 6,000 to 8,000 feet.  

On the 6X, thirty-five square feet of window area leads the class for natural light. On the 10X windows are even bigger to brighten a larger cabin. On both airplanes the windows are spaced closely for a uniform distribution of light in the cabin. LED lighting is passenger controlled to introduce new combinations from soft reading light to gradual sunrises that help adjust circadian rhythms.  

The no-compromises, biggest business jet yet 

The 10X cabin simply gives passengers more of everything. The cabin has an extended galley with a crew rest area as an option. The passenger area has four cabin zones of equal size, each with its own climate controls, but the design is flexible and each zone can be shortened or extended to customize the layout.  

An owner could specify a shortened compartment as an entertainment center with a divan on one side and a big screen TV on the other. Or the aft zone could be lengthened into a private suite with a full queen size bed (which is not possible on other large business jets because of their lesser width). An en-suite bath can be equipped with the largest and nicest shower in business aviation. It’s 1.88m tall with electro-chromatic dimmable windows and a generous 30-minute hot water supply.  

A cabin that reflects modern art 

The 10X cabin with its Modernist lines and decorative motifs has been enthusiastically embraced by customers and aviation journalists. One astute writer saw the influence of cubist painter Piet Mondrian, as well as other 20th century inspirations from French artists Georges Braque, Marc Chagall and Marcel Duchamp. For the 6X and 10X, Dassault designers moved away from traditional heavy-looking cabin furniture to reflect the latest in home design.  

An emphasis on privacy and quiet 

New on the 6X and 10X is the optional Falcon Privacy Suite, a first within the business jet industry. One or two of these could be ordered for the aft cabin compartment.  The suite has aisle dividers for privacy and a seat that reclines electrically to fully flat. 

The Falcon Privacy Suite is well suited for long flights for at least two reasons. It provides a refuge for passengers who wish to work or just have a little time to themselves. The suite also makes it easier to sleep, inasmuch as we all prefer a little more privacy for sleeping. 

“Comfort factors have been prioritized in the 6X and 10X to give passengers the best experience over the longest distances.”

Falcons have long been known as quiet aircraft with sound levels below 50 dB—the equivalent of a suburban living room. Engineers report that the first Falcon 6X aircraft to receive full interiors are even quieter, with the 10X planned to be just as quiet. The low noise and vibration levels on these jets (in addition to low cabin altitudes) means that passengers feel much better at the end of a long flight.  

Masters of the long haul 

All of these comfort factors have been prioritized in the 6X and 10X to give passengers the best experience over the longest distances.  

The 6X is the largest aircraft in what is known in the industry as the long-range class. It’s maximum range of 10,186 km allows nonstops between Beijing and either Seattle or London. Typical cruise speed for the 6X is between .80 and .85 Mach and top speed is .90 Mach.  

The Falcon 10X offers even more range capability. It is classified as an ultra-long-range jet. The aircraft can fly 13,890 km and has a top speed of Mach 0.925, a whisker below the speed of sound. Shanghai to New York City is well within the aircraft’s capability. On flight’s up to 14 hours or more, it’s easy to see why cabin comfort has become so important.  

Embodying the best of French Style and Technology 

If all the discussion of cabin style seems to place the emphasis on a French aesthetic, the 6X and 10X are also tributes to Dassault’s heritage as one of France’s leading aerospace companies and one of the world’s top builders of advanced fighter aircraft.  

Dassault Aviation was one of the earliest developers of digital flight control (fly-by-wire) technology, giving its fighters maneuverability advantages. It was the first manufacturer to introduce digital flights controls on a business jet. That was in 2005 with the first flight of the Falcon 7X. Digital controls enhance safety, reduce workload and impart a smoother ride. The 6X and 10X have even more advanced digital flight controls.  

For Dassault, style, comfort and technology are braided together into quintessentially French exports—ones that customers will soon be enjoying on the world’s longest routes.  

The 6X is nearing the end of its flight test certification program and will enter service this summer. Parts and major structures for the 10X are being built today, with final assembly of the first units beginning in 2023.

Dassault Aviation

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