Dassault Conducts Falcon 10X’s Maiden Flight

The French aviation company Dassault Aviation has conducted the maiden flight of its new Falcon 10X aircraft.

This was reported by the company.

In addition to civilian use, the Falcon series of aircraft is adapted for various missions, including military ones, such as medical evacuation, cargo transport, maritime surveillance, electronic warfare, and more. These multi-purpose aircraft account for approximately 10% of the Falcon fleet in operation worldwide.

The Falcon 10X’s predecessor, the Falcon 8X, is part of the Archange program, or “next-generation reconnaissance aircraft.” The program, approved under the 2024-2030 Military Planning Act, calls for the French Air and Space Forces to put three aircraft into service by 2030.

The Falcon 10X’s maiden flight

Test pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dineschen and co-pilot Fabrice Dugnac took off from Runway 23 at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport on June 19 at 11:10 a.m. for a flight lasting two and a half hours.

At an altitude of 4,572 meters, the pilots assessed the aircraft’s flight characteristics and system performance. After that they retracted the landing gear and all control surfaces, then climbed to an altitude of 12,192 meters, where they accelerated to a speed of 0.82 Mach (980 km/h). At 1:40 p.m., they returned to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, where they made a smooth landing.

“This first flight marks another important milestone for Dassault,” said Chairman and CEO Éric Trappier on June 19. “It demonstrates the dedication and high level of expertise of our engineering, manufacturing, and flight teams, as well as the quality of our global network of partners. We have all been eagerly awaiting this day, as a new phase begins for the 10X.”

In total, the program has accumulated over 4,000 test hours on both the Advance2 demonstrator and the engine in the Pearl 10X configuration. During the six-month campaign, which included more than 25 flights, the engine covered a distance of 36,000 nautical miles — enough for an aircraft to circle the globe one and a half times.

Falcon 10X

The project began back in 2021, when the company allocated $75 million to develop an aircraft that would compete in its category with the Canadian Bombardier Global 7500 and the American Gulfstream G700.

The Falcon 10X’s cabin is 2.03 m high and 2.77 m wide, making it the business jet with the largest cabin in the world. The aircraft is said to have a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,900 km) and to carry 19 passengers.

The NeXus Falcon 10X cabin uses touchscreens to simplify crew operations and enhance safety. Dassault has also integrated HOTAS (Hands-On-Throttle-And-Stick) technology, which allows pilots to control the aircraft using two HUD displays and controls borrowed from fighter jets.

Design achievements such as the digital flight control system (DFCS), the FalconEye integrated vision system, and composite wings made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CRP) can be attributed to the active production of the Rafale fighter jet series, which began in the 1980s. The Falcon 10X is also compatible with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).