Dassault Aviation announced its next business jet on Wednesday, the 6X, which will replace the 5X project that was abandoned in December after its new Safran Silvercrest engines failed to meet development deadlines. The 6X will be powered by a new variant of Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW800 engines. P&WC says the new variant of the engine is “ready to enter service,” and offers the “highest level of technology available on the market combined with the reliability of a proven core [and] sustainable technologies.” The PW800 engine delivers improved fuel efficiency and lower exhaust emissions, compared to earlier models, plus less noise and low vibration levels for a quieter cabin, P&WC said. Dassault said the new aircraft will make its first flight early in 2021 and begin deliveries in 2022.
The 6X is largely based on the Falcon 5X aerodynamics and system features, Dassault said. Those features have already been validated during the 5X preliminary flight test program. The 6X is equipped with an ultra-efficient wing that minimizes the impact of turbulence, Dassault says, and a digital flight control system that controls all moving surfaces, including a flaperon. The 6X is the first business jet to use a flaperon, Dassault says, which considerably improves control during approach, especially on steep descents. Textron also is planning to use the Silvercrest engine in its Hemisphere jet, which is scheduled for first flight next year. Textron CEO Scott Donnelley said in January that program is on hold until problems with the engine can be resolved.
