The Falcon 8X is now EASA-certified, Dassault Aviation announced this week, and FAA approval is expected to follow by the end of next month. The design, based on the company’s 7X, offers the longest range of any Falcon jet, up to 6,450 nautical miles, and the biggest cabin, almost 43 feet long. “Feedback from the operational trials — cabin comfort, air conditioning, and in particular cabin noise — was excellent,” said Olivier Villa, senior vice president at Dassault Aviation Civil Aircraft. “Moreover, new innovations in aircraft insulation will allow us to further lower cabin noise compared to the Falcon 7X, currently the quietest aircraft in the industry.”
Dassault also is working to gain approval for its own “FalconEye” head-up display for the cockpit, which uses a blend of synthetic and enhanced vision systems. Approval for the HUD system is expected by the end of next year. Twelve jets already are in cabin outfitting at Dassault’s completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, the company said. The jet is powered by three P&W Canada engines, and flies at a top speed of about Mach 0.9. The 8X sells for about $58 million.
