Dassault Falcon 7X
Falcon 7X/8X | |
---|---|
A Falcon 7X, landing gear down, flaps deployed | |
Role | Intercontinental business jet |
National origin | France |
Manufacturer | Dassault Aviation |
First flight | 7X: 5 May 2005[1] 8X: 6 February 2015[2] |
Introduction | 7X: 15 June 2007[3] 8X: 5 October 2016[4] |
Status | In production |
Primary users | Shell Oil
|
Produced | 2005–present |
Number built | 289 (7X, Q1 2020),[5] ~50 (8X, 2018)[6] |
Developed from | Falcon 900
|
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, 5,950-
.Falcon 7X
Development
Dassault launched the FNX at the 2001
With 41 deposits, it was named 7X in November with first flight slipping from late 2004 to early 2005 and certification planned for mid-2006. With a simplified structure to reduce cost and weight, the optimised high-
With over 50 firm orders, it completed its
It was first presented to the public at the
Price
In 2001, the Falcon 7X, at approximately $35 million (preproduction order price), was nearly $10 million cheaper than its nearest competitors in the long-range, large cabin market segment, including the Gulfstream G550 and Bombardier Global Express.[13] It was targeted to be priced for 2004 at 12% more than the $33 million top-of-the-range Falcon 900EX equipped: $39.6 million.[9] Its price was $37 million in 2005,[1] and $41 million in 2007.[14] In 2017, its list price was $54M, a 3-4-year-old 7X was worth $27-34m and a 7-9 year old one cost $19-24M.[15] The latest market data for Q1 2020 shows 287 out of 289 aircraft currently in operation with an asking price range of $18,495,000 - $24,800,000.[16] In 2022, its equipped price was $54.2M.[17]
Design
The Falcon 7X is a three-engined cantilever monoplane with a low-positioned, highly
It is the first fully
The Falcon 7X is notable for its extensive use of
In February 2010, Dassault Falcon and BMW
Pitch trim incident
EASA grounded the Falcon 7X fleet after a report from Dassault Aviation regarding an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent in one of its jets in May 2011.[23][24] The aircraft pitched up to 41 degrees, with the load factor increasing to 4.6g, it climbed from 13,000 to 22,500 ft and the airspeed went from 300 to 125 kn.[25]
"This condition, if occurring again, could lead to loss of control of the aeroplane," the EASA notice said.[26] Initial results of investigation showed that there was a production defect in the Horizontal Stabilizer Electronic Control Unit which could have contributed to the cause of the event.[27] Dassault Aviation developed modifications in June 2011 to allow a return to flight.[28]
After four years of investigation, the
Teterboro-London City record
On May 2, 2014, Dassault set a new speed record for the Falcon 7X on a 5 h 54 min flight from New York Teterboro Airport to London City Airport.[29]
Falcon 8X
The 6,450 nmi (11,945 km; 7,423 mi) range Falcon 8X was announced at the
The prototype, registered F-WWQA, first flew from
The three PW307D turbofans gained 320 lbf (1.4 kN) each, and are 1.5% more fuel efficient.[6] MTOW is increased from 70,000 to 73,000 lb (31.8 to 33.1 t) and fuel capacity is increased by 3,200 lb (1.5 t) for 500 nmi (926 km; 575 mi) more range.[6] The wing structure is 600 lb (270 kg) lighter, and more flexible for comfort, while operating empty weight is 200 lb (91 kg) heavier than the 7X despite the 3.5 ft (1.1 m) stretch.[6] A strict weight control allows most operators to match or best Dassault's 36,800 lb (16.7 t) estimate BOWs for a fully equipped aircraft with three crewmembers.[6] Its unmatched structural efficiency, with a OEW only half of
Falcon 8X Archange
The Falcon Archange is a militarized variant of the Falcon 8X under development for the
Operators
Civil operators
More than 260 Falcon 7X have been delivered between mid-2007 to March 2016 and the type has flown more than 440,000 hours.
Corporate and charter operators use their Falcon 8Xs 600 to 850 hours per year, while individual operators fly theirs 300 to 400 hours per year.
Private owners of Falcon 7X aircraft include Bernie Ecclestone and Taylor Swift.[40]
Government and military operators
- Australia
- Royal Australian Air Force: three Falcon 7X leased for VVIP missions.[41][42]
- Belgium
- Belgian Air Force: 2x Falcon 7X in military service (OO-LUM & OO-FAE) dry leased from Luxaviation (former Abelag Aviation).[43]
- Ecuador
- Ecuadorian Air Force : One Falcon 7X (ID: FAE 052) for long-distance travel. Delivered November 4, 2013; first official trip November 25, 2013.
- Egypt
- Egyptian Air Force: four Falcon 7X on order[44][45]
- France
- French Air and Space Force
- 2 Falcon 7X ordered and delivered.[46][38][47] In service since 2009, the two aircraft are part of the French presidential fleet (a fleet of 7 aircraft dedicated to presidential and government transport).[48][49]
- 2 Falcon 8X Archange EW aircraft on order to succeed the Air and Space Force's Transall C-160 Gabriel, with 1 additional unit to be purchased.[50][51][52]
- Greece
- Hellenic Air Force: One Falcon 7X[53]
- Hungary
- Hungarian Air Force: Two[54] Falcon 7X[55][56] (HuAF606) (HuAF653) [57]
- Indonesia
- Indonesian Air Force: One Falcon 7X and one Falcon 8X[58] interim planes for familiarization and training, stationed in 17th Air Squadron for VVIP transport. Orders for two Falcon 8X to be delivered in stages within a one year timeframe, part of the first batch of the Indonesian Air Force's Dassault Rafale contract.[59]
- Monaco
- Albert II, Prince of Monaco: one Falcon 7X since 2013.[60]
- Namibia
- Namibian government: one Falcon 7X[61]
- Nigeria
- Nigerian Air Force: Two Falcon 7X
- Russia
- Two such aircraft (with registration numbers RA-09007,[62][63] RA-09009[64]) use the Russian special flight squad based on the state-owned Rossiya Airlines to transport the highest officials of the state.
The Republic of the Congo used a Falcon 7X as a presidential transport until 2023, when the aircraft was auctioned off to pay construction debts.[65]
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe took delivery of a Falcon 7X in March 2023.[66]
Specifications
Variant | 7X[67] | 8X[68] |
---|---|---|
Cockpit crew | Two[18] | |
Capacity | 12 to 16 passengers | |
Cabin section | 2.34 m (7.67 ft) width, 1.88 m (6.17 ft) headroom | |
Cabin length [a] | 11.91 m (39.07 ft) | 13 m (42.67 ft) |
Length | 23.38 m (76.08 ft) | 24.46 m (80.2 ft) |
Height | 7.83 m (25.67 ft) | 7.94 m (26.1 ft) |
Wingspan | 26.21 m (86 ft) | 26.29 m (86.25 ft) |
Wing area | 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft)[18] | |
Wing loading | 449 kg/m2 (92 lb/sq ft) | 468 kg/m2 (96 lb/sq ft) |
MTOW
|
31,751 kg (70,000 lb) | 33,113 kg (73,000 lb) |
Max payload | 1,996 kg (4,400 lb) | 2,223 kg (4,900 lb) |
Fuel capacity | 14,488 kg (31,940 lb) | 15,830 kg (34,900 lb) |
BOW[69]
|
16,601 kg (36,600 lb) | 16,375 kg (36,100 lb) |
Turbofans (×3) | P&WC PW307A | P&WC PW307D |
Thrust | 28.48 kN (6,402 lbf) | 29.9 kN (6,722 lbf) |
Range (8 passengers) | 5,950 nmi (11,019 km; 6,847 mi) | 6,450 nmi (11,945 km; 7,423 mi) |
Ceiling | 15,545 m (51,000 ft) | |
Max speed | Mach 0.9 (516 kn; 956 km/h; 594 mph) | |
Cruise speed | Mach 0.8 (459 kn; 850 km/h; 528 mph) | |
Takeoff BFL[b]
|
1,740 m (5,710 ft) | 1,829 m (6,000 ft) |
Landing[c] | 631 m (2,070 ft) | 656 m (2,150 ft) |
Avionics | Falcon Enhanced Avionics System (EASy) Flight Deck
|
See also
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
- Bombardier Global Express
- Gulfstream G550
- Gulfstream G500/G600
- Gulfstream G650
References
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- ^ a b "MAIDEN FLIGHT: "Smooth" sortie opens Falcon 8X test campaign". Flight Global. 6 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Falcon 7X enters service". Flight Global. June 15, 2007.
- ^ a b "Dassault delivers first Falcon 8X to Greece's Amjet Executive". Flight Global. October 6, 2016.
- ^ "Falcon 7X Market Data". AvBuyer.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Dassault Falcon 8X: A Trijet Honed To Perfection". Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. September 19, 2019.
- ^ William Garvey (May 19, 2014). "Dassault Expands Falcon Family With 8X". Aviation Week.
- ^ "Dassault unveils long-range Falcon". Flight International. 26 June 2001.
- ^ a b "Dassault unveils Falcon 7X long-range business jet". Flight International. 6 Nov 2001.
- ^ "Dassault Falcon 7X Earns EASA and FAA Certification" (Press release). Dassault Falcon. April 27, 2007.
- ^ "Dassault scores a century with 7X". Flight Global. 26 November 2010.
- Flightglobal, Reed Business Information
- ^ "Falcon 7X Trades Unwanted Range For a Price Tag Lower by $10 Million". Business & Commercial Aviation. 2001. Archived from the original on 2009-01-31.
{{cite news}}
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{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "The Costs to Own and Operate a Falcon 7X". SherpaReport. 13 June 2017.
- ^ "The Dassault-Falcon 7x Price-Guide", AvBuyer.com, 22 January 2020
- ^ "Purchase planning handbook - Jets table". Business & Commercial Aircraft. Second Quarter 2023.
- ^ a b c d "type certificate data sheet" (PDF). EASA. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Pilot Report On Falcon 7X Fly-By-Wire Control System". Aviation Week & Space Technology. May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation and Dassault Systèmes Make Industry History -- Falcon 7X Jet Becomes First Aircraft Entirely Developed on Virtual Platform" (Press release). Dassault Systèmes. May 24, 2004.
- ^ "Dassault's Falcon 7X BMW Interior Option Wins Design Award" (Press release). February 5, 2010. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
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- Aviation Week. May 26, 2011.
- ^ Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile. June 13, 2016.
- ^ "Emergency Airworthiness Directive No. 2011-0102-E". EASA. May 26, 2011.
- ^ "Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2011-0114-E". EASA. 16 June 2011.
- ^ "Dassault says Falcon 7x is now back in the air". Reuters. June 16, 2011.
- ^ Haria, Rupa. "Falcon 7X Sets New Speed Record". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 2018-01-16.
- ^ "Dassault Aviation Reveals First Falcon 8X" (Press release). Dassault Aviation. December 17, 2014.
- ^ Matt Thurber (October 9, 2018). "FAA, EASA OK Dassault 8X EFVS Down to 100 Feet". AIN online.
- ^ "Purchase planning handbook - Ultra long-range Jets table". Business & Commercial Aircraft. Second Quarter 2022.
- ^ "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations". 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Le Falcon 8X Archange au service de l'armée de l'Air". 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations". 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations". 14 January 2020.
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- ^ "G650ER, Falcon 7X And Pilatus PC-24 Join Clay Lacy's Northeastern Charter Fleet | Aero-News Network". www.aero-news.net.
- ^ "UBS sells Credit Suisse jet used by Horta-Osório during Covid breaches". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
- ^ Waldron, Greg (8 April 2019). "RAAF to lease three Dassault 7X for VVIP mission". Flight Global. Singapore. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
- ^ "Dassault Falcon 7X". Royal Australian Air Force. 25 March 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ "België stuurt vliegtuigen naar Kaboel na oproep van tientallen Belgen in Afghanistan". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Egypt to buy 4 Falcon 7X from Dassault for $337M". www.ecofinagency.com. 18 August 2016.
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- ^ "La flotte présidentielle française de 1947 à nos jours". 24 April 2022.
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- ^ "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations". 14 January 2020.
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- ISSN 0306-5634.
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- ^ "Egy harmadik Airbust és további repülőket vesz a honvédség" (in Hungarian). Euronews. 12 December 2018.
- ^ "Business jettel fokozta légiszállító képességét a honvédség". 2018-08-05.
- ^ "Dassault Falcon 7X, a légiszállítási képességfejlesztés második fázisa". legiero.blog.hu (in Hungarian).
- ^ "The plane of the Hungarian Defense Forces carrying members of the government flew to Moscow, it is a mystery who was traveling on it and why". 23 August 2022.
- ^ "Prabowo Serahkan Dua Unit Pesawat Falcon Untuk Perkuat Skadron Udara 17 TNI AU". merdeka.com (in Indonesian). 2022-12-28. Retrieved 2022-12-28.
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- ^ "Albert s'offre l'avion de ses rêves" (in French). Paris Match. 5 March 2013.
- ^ "Government defends new Falcon". The Namibian. March 18, 2009. Archived from the original on September 23, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
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- ^ "Falcon 8X". Dassault Aviation.
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External links
- Falcon 7X
- Falcon 8X
- Gordon Gilbert (May 22, 2008). "Playing the percentages, Dassault reveals Falcon 7X". AIN online.
- J. Mac McClellan (October 26, 2008). "Falcon 7X Pilot Report". Flying Magazine.
- Fred George (May 3, 2010). "Pilot Report On Falcon 7X Fly-By-Wire Control System". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
- "Pilot Report: Dassault Falcon 8X". Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. October 29, 2015.
- Fred George (April 2016). "Operators Report: Falcon 7X" (PDF). Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week. p. 50.
- "Type certificate data sheet No. A59NM" (PDF). FAA. June 27, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- Matt Thurber (January 10, 2017). "Pilot Report: Falcon 8X" (PDF). Aviation International News.