Global Aviator April 2018 / Vol. 10 / No. 4 47
reasons: most original 5X
customers had walked
away after the multiple
delays, or changed their
order to a 7X or 8X aircraft.
Pitching the upgraded 5X
to those people would be a
challenge, and a new name
could probably take away
some of the bad taste the
5X delays had caused.
Secondly, the technical
changes made the 6X an
even more game changing
aircraft than the 5X already
promised to be. With the
heavier engines, longer
fuselage and stronger
and more advanced
wing Dassault believes it
further increases the lead
it has on its competitors
when it comes to cabin
space and comfort.
Larger than largest
Where the 5X already had
the largest cabin in any
purposely designed private
jet in terms of height and
width, the 6X only increases
its lead with a cabin that
is over 12 meters long and
almost two meters (1,98)
high. Up to 19 (!) passengers
can enjoy the comfortable
3,900 feet cabin altitude
at flight level 410 for the
time it takes the aircraft to
travel 5,500 nautical miles.
What remains
unchanged is Dassault
refusing to participate
in the speed race. Where
comparably priced
competitors cruise long
range at Mach 0.85 and
exceed Mach 0.9 if their
fortunate owners want to be
somewhere in time, the max
cruise speed of the Falcon
6X is 0.9. But to accomplish
the maximum promised
range, the throttles have
to be pulled back to Mach
0.8. Dassaults philosophy is
that more time is gained by
enabling the aircraft to land
at short runways closer to
the final destination, than to
enable an extra five percent
of cruise speed and land
at an international airport
after which a long ride
in a cab is required to go
where you want to be. The
folks at Dassault also take
pride in the fact that their
aircraft are usually able to
take off from short runways
with much more fuel than
their competitors, enabling
direct point-to-point flights
between small airports
over a long distance.Small margins
To enable the 6X to operate
from exceptionally short
runways despite its above
average size and weight,
Dassault has designed
an advanced wing with
advanced automatic
flight control systems
including flaperons - a
first in this segment.
Flaperons in the center
of the the trailing edge
combine the functionality
of the aileron providing roll
control and a classic flap,
providing control and safety
margin at slow approach
speeds. Dassault believes
approach speeds below
110 knots are possible, and
expects no more than 760m
of runway length required
to come to a full stop.
A production rate of
two per month is targeted,
at a catalog price of 47
million 2018 USD, which is -
inflation included - the same
as the 43 million 2014 USD
price tag of the Falcon 5X.
Upon our request Dassault
did not want to disclose
the exact price per unit of
the PW812 engines. But the
manufacturer does admit
they are more expensive
to purchase than the
Silvercrest. In order to stay
competitive, Dassault had
to accept a reduced margin
on the sales price. You can
expect the Falcon 6X on
a short runway near you
from 2022 onwards, which
is when the manufacturer
hopes to deliver the first
aircraft to customers. •The most spacious cabin in its class up to 16 pax in three lounges.Large entryway option with crew rest.FalconEye Combined Vision System HUD.