TheDassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, 5,950-nautical-mile [nmi] (11,019 km; 6,847 mi) rangebusiness jet manufactured byDassault Aviation, the second largest of itsDassault Falcon line. Unveiled at the 2001Paris Air Show, its first flight took place on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 June 2007. TheFalcon 8X, first delivered on 5 October 2016, is derived from the 7X and has an extended range of 6,450 nmi (11,945 km; 7,423 mi) made possible through engine optimization, aerodynamic refinements as well as an increase in fuel capacity.[7] Featuring anS-duct central engine, the 8X and theFalcon 900 are the onlytrijets still in production, as of 2025[update].
Dassault launched the FNX at the 2001Paris Air Show, aiming for a 10,500km (5,700nm) range at Mach 0.88, up from theFalcon 900EX's 8,300 km at Mach 0.84. Its new high-speed wing is 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) longer with 5° higherwing sweep than the 900 wing; while itsfuselage is 20% longer, it keeps the same cabin cross-section but with a new curved windscreen. Thetrijet has a combined thrust of 18,000lb (80kN) provided byHoneywell FX5s, a new design, or aPratt & Whitney Canada PW306 growth version. Based onHoneywell Primus Epic avionics, its EASy cockpit is developed for theFalcon 2000EX and 900EX and controls arefly-by-wire. Scheduled to fly in 2004, first deliveries were planned for mid-2006.[8]
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-transonic wing improves thelift-to-drag ratio by 10% over thesupercritical wing of theFalcon 50 shared by previous Falcons. The cabin is 2.4m (8ft) longer than the 900 and has a lower 6,000ft (1,800m) cabin altitude. the 6,100 lbf (27.1 kN) PW307A was finally selected, among other risk-sharing partners:Honeywell for avionics architecture,auxiliary power unit, air management system; withParker Hannifin for the power generation system and wheels brakes; andTRW Aeronautical Systems for the hydromechanical flap and airbrake systems.[9]
Falcon 7X on taxiway, 14 cabin windows
With over 50 firm orders, it completed itsfirst flight on 5 May 2005, flying for 1h 36min fromBordeaux-Merignac, starting a 1,200h flight test programme over 15 month: it climbed to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) for hydraulic, fuel, air data andlanding gear extraction/retraction systems tests, then climbed to 25,000 ft for acceleration/deceleration tests and basicautopilot andautothrottle operations. The second Falcon 7X was planned to join in June of that year, and the third with a full interior in September that year for long-range, endurance tests and interior sound level validation: Dassault aims for a 52dB sound level in the cabin, 4dB lower than other Falcons. Certification slipped to late 2006 and first deliveries to early 2007.[5]
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 theGulfstream G550 andBombardier 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,[5] 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]
Planform view showing the 34.5°wing sweepFalcon 7X Cockpit
The Falcon 7X is a three-engined cantilever monoplane with a low-positioned, highlyswept wing. It has a horizontal stabiliser at mid-height and a retractable tricycle landing gear, and three rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney PW307A turbofan engines: two on the side of the fuselage and one in a center position, and room for 19 passengers and 3 crew.[18] It is the first production Falcon jet withwinglets.
It is the first fullyfly-by-wire business jet and is equipped with the same avionics suite, theHoneywell Primus Epic "Enhanced Avionics System" (EASy), that was used on the Falcon 900EX and later on the Falcon 2000EX.[19]
The Falcon 7X is notable for its extensive use ofcomputer-aided design, the manufacturer claiming it to be the "first aircraft to be designed entirely on a virtual platform", usingDassault Systèmes'CATIA andPLM products.[20]
Falcon 7X interior
In February 2010, Dassault Falcon and BMWDesignworks were awarded the 2009Good Design Award by theChicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design for their collaboration on the new Falcon 7X interior option.[21]Due to special engine mounts and cabin isolators, the cabin is extremely quiet, below 50 dBA, and is available with ashower.[22]
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]
The prototype, registered F-WWQA, first flew fromBordeaux–Mérignac Airport on 6 February 2015.[6] The Falcon 8X was added as a subtype of theFalcon 7X on the EASA type certificate on 24 June 2016 as modification M1000 for S/N 0401 and ongoing.[18] Dassault delivered the first Falcon 8X on 5 October 2016 to Greek business aviation operatorAmjet Executive.[4]By October 2018, the Falcon 8X FalconEyeEFVS was approved by theFAA andEASA for approaches down to 100 ft (30 m), and dual HUD FalconEye will allow EVS-to-land in 2020, without using natural vision.[31]
The three PW307D turbofans gained 320 lbf (1.4 kN) each, and are 1.5% more fuel efficient.[2]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.[2]The wing structure is 600 lb (270 kg) lighter, and more flexible for comfort, whileoperating empty weight is 200 lb (91 kg) heavier than the 7X despite the 3.5 ft (1.1 m) stretch.[2]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.[2]Its unmatched structural efficiency, with a OEW only half ofMTOW, allow a superior fuel efficiency while its MTOW is less than a 4,100 nmi (7,593 km; 4,718 mi)Gulfstream IV-SP.The first hour fuel burn is 4,000 lb (1.8 t) while average cruise fuel burn is 2,250 lb (1.02 t) per h.[2]The 47 db average cabin sound level is 2-3 db lower than the Falcon 7X.[2]In 2022, its equipped price was $62.5M.[32]
The Falcon Archange is a militarized variant of the Falcon 8X under development for theFrench Air and Space Force. Launched under the ARCHANGE (Avion de Renseignement à CHArge utile de Nouvelle GEnération) strategic intelligence aircraft program in December 2019, it is intended forSIGINT andelectronic warfare. The aircraft will be equipped with a Universal Electronic Warfare Capability (Capacité Universelle de Guerre Électronique orCUGE) developed byThales.[33][34] The system will notably be able to detect and analyze radio emissions and radar signals simultaneously. Thales will supply multi-polarization antennas, as well as artificial intelligence technologies to enhance automatic processing. The information gathered by the systems will then be analyzed by eavesdropping and intelligence specialists and fed into theFrench Armed Forces' databases. The program also includes a ground training platform.[35] Two Falcon 8X Archange are on order, with an additional unit planned. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2028.[36][37]
More than 260 Falcon 7X have been delivered between mid-2007 to March 2016 and the type has flown more than 440,000 hours.Europe has 117 aircraft, 45% of the fleet: 18 in Switzerland, 13 in France, eight in Luxembourg, seven in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Portugal, six in Russia, four in Ukraine among others. Antwerp's Flying Group operates five aircraft,Shell Oil has four in Rotterdam andDassault Falcon Service at Paris-Le Bourget manages four, as doesVolkswagen AG in Wolfsburg. 20% of the fleet is in North America: more than 50 in the U.S., six in Canada and five in Mexico. In Asia-Pacific, 14 are in Hong Kong and 11 in China among others.[38] Planet Nine Private Air LLC, a premium ultra long range charter based in Los Angeles, operates five Falcon 7X. Jet charter and management companyClay Lacy Aviation operates Falcon 7X aircraft on both U.S. coasts.[39]
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.Air Alsie in Denmark operates five Falcon 8Xs and six Falcon 7Xs, five 8Xs are based in Switzerland while Volkswagen,Global Jet Luxembourg andExecuJet Europe each fly two 8Xs.Other operators have a single 8X: Shell, Flying Group, Aviaservice Air in Kazan, Russia,NetJets Europe,TAG Aviation in Geneva, Switzerland,Abelag Aviation and theEgyptian Air Force.Six are based in the US including withBechtel, Citrus Products,Energy Transfer Partners,Honeywell,Sony. Three are based in China, two in São Paulo, and others are registered in San Marino, Malta and Monaco, throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and India.[2]
2 Falcon 7X ordered and delivered.[47][38][48] 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).[49][50]
Indonesian Air Force: Two Falcon 8X,[59] delivered as part of the first batch of the IndonesianDassault Rafale contract.[60] Previously the Indonesian Air Force operated one Falcon 7X and one Falcon 8X[61] as interim planes for familiarization and training, stationed in17th Air Squadron for VVIP transport.[60]
Two such aircraft (with registration numbers RA-09007,[64] RA-09009[citation needed]) use the Russian special flight squad based on the state-ownedRossiya Airlines to transport the highest officials of the state.
^Murdo Morrison (May 2, 2007)."Onboard the 7X..." Flight International. Archived from the original on 2009-06-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"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.
Matt Thurber (January 10, 2017)."Pilot Report: Falcon 8X"(PDF).Aviation International News. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on January 13, 2017. RetrievedJanuary 10, 2017.
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Australia
Belgium
Republic of the Congo
Ecuador
Egypt
France
Greece
Hungary
Indonesia
Monaco
Namibia
Nigeria
Russia
Zimbabwe