By Thomas Pallini, businessinsider.com
French aircraft maker, Dassault has unveiled a new $47 million private jet, Falcon 6X, that can fly 5,500 nautical miles at speeds of up to Mach .90 while also accessing challenging airports with ease.
Dassault incorporated the technology it uses for its military aircraft to make the 6X easier and safer for pilots.
Falcon 6X was unveiled on Tuesday in a virtual event streamed from its production plant in Merignac, France near Bordeaux.
Very comfy
The Falcon 6X is the newest member to join the famed Dassault Falcon family that’s been flying for over half a century, starting in the 1960s with the Falcon Mystere 20.
Dassault crafted the 6X to be an ‘ultra widebody’ business jet, not to be confused with Airbus’ ‘xtra wide-body’ A350 airliner, and offers a wider cabin than anything from transatlantic rivals Gulfstream and Bombardier.
Ultra-long-range aircraft are in high demand right now as wealthy buyers are looking to scoop up aircraft for when the world opens for international travel.
The COVID-19 pandemic has soured the wealthy jet set on commercial aviation and has turned a great deal of them into private flyers and even aircraft owners.
The Falcon 6X can quite easily cross continents and oceans for more non-stop journeys, increasing the health and safety benefits of flying private that also includes access to private terminals and executive airports.
And now that it’s been unveiled, Dassault will test and certify the aircraft for a 2022 entry into service following its first flight in 2021, as Aviation International News reported.
Dassault first announced the 6X program in 2018 after canceling a similar jet program for the planned Falcon 5X due to engine issues.
The new aircraft built upon the lessons learned and data acquired while developing the 5X and the result was a larger aircraft that could fly further than the canceled jet.
One noticeable difference between the Falcon 6X and Dassault’s other business jets right off the bat is the lack of a third engine.
