The long-awaited Dassault Falcon 10X made its first flight Friday from Bordeaux-Merignac Airport in France, marking the start of flight testing for the big bizjet. The aircraft was flown by test pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dinechin and copilot Fabrice Dougnac and they spent about 150 minutes checking basic flight characteristics and cycling the gear. They hit Mach 0.82 and climbed to 40,000 feet before setting it back down at the departure airport. “Today’s flight was the culmination of years of work by thousands of Dassault employees and partners,” said de Dinechin. “It paid off in a flight that went as planned and was a delight to fly.”
Announced in 2021, aircraft will compete directly with the Gulfstream 8000 and the Bombardier Global 7500 as ultra-long-range business jets capable of nonstop flights of 7,500 nautical miles. Both of the competitors are in customer hands already and Dassault is hoping for certification and first deliveries in 2027. AvBrief’s Julie Boatman was on hand for the unveiling of the aircraft in March.
