Dassault marked the roll-out of the first Falcon 5X with a ceremony at its Bordeaux-Mérignac final assembly facility in France. The program was announced in October 2013 and the twinjet is expected to make its maiden flight later in 2015.
“The 5X’s ambition is to set the new standard in the long-range business jet segment,” said Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, at the roll-out. “It has the largest cabin cross-section of any business jet, and its 5,200 nautical mile range allows it to connect the majority of the world’s most heavily travelled city pairs. Yet, it will be by far the most fuel-efficient jet in its category and will demonstrate the approach speed of a typical turboprop.”
The cabin is 6ft 6in high, 8ft 6in wide and nearly 39ft long (excluding the cockpit and baggage compartment), with three lounges offering accommodation for 16 passengers. One of the key design aims was to offer a wider cabin.
The Dassault Interior Design Studio was involved from the earliest stages of the development program, and one of its highest priorities was to create flowing, uninterrupted lines to enhance the feeling of space. Highlights include new cabin seats designed to be “lean and light”, hidden compartments for electronic devices and chargers, LED signage that is invisible when not illuminated, 28 windows that are larger than on previous Falcons, and a sky light in the galley.
The cabin will be equipped with the FalconCabinHD+ CMS, which was developed with Rockwell Collins. It uses a fiber optic network to distribute HD audio and video content throughout the cabin.
Cabin sound levels will be the same as in the Falcon 7X. The Falcon 5X will have a cabin pressurization level of 3,900ft at 41,000ft. Liebherr-Aerospace developed the integrated air management system and cabin air humidification system for the aircraft.
“Technology is what set the Falcon 5X apart from other executive jets,” said Trappier. “Part of this aircraft’s genius is that it successfully achieves two seemingly opposing objectives: it sets a new standard in economy and fuel efficiency while offering the tallest, the quietest and the most comfortable cabin in the industry.
“We wanted this wide cabin to be every bit as innovative as its airframe and systems, and that’s just what our designers did. Our design studio endowed the cabin with a sleek, harmonious look, where every detail has been designed to ensure optimum passenger comfort, environment control and connectivity.”
The Falcon 5X has a new “ultra-efficient” wing, a digital flight control system derived from the Rafale fighter jet, new Snecma Silvercrest engines, a redesigned cockpit equipped with the third generation of Dassault’s EASy flight deck, and aircraft and engine health monitoring systems.
Final assembly and testing is taking place at the Mérignac facility, which has seen the delivery of more than 8,000 civil and military Dassault aircraft, including 2,300 Falcons, since it opened in 1949.
To read a full feature about the Falcon 5X, click here.
June 4, 2015
