The Falcon 6X introduced; a new class defined

Marketing for private jets is often based on differentiation, while a common saying in the industry is that 'the cabin sells the airplane.' Dassault has introduced the new Falcon 6X last month remaining true to both concepts.

The latest iteration in the Falcon family is expected to stand-out amongst peers by offering passengers the fattest cabin yet on a bizjet with standing room of 6 feet 6 inches, and a width of 8 feet 6 inches.

A quieter and more comfy ride is in store thanks to advancements of Dassault's digital flight control system (fly-by-wire technology,) and a 'new generation, ultra efficient wing' that is said to benefit from curved trailing edges. Another point of aerodynamic differentiation is in the use of flaperons, or flaps which increase the wing lifting area that can move independently increasing roll control during approaches and flight at slower speeds.

With windows growing in size and number, and the addition of a skylight in the galley, passengers can enjoy more natural light; or do a little star gazing while in the galley for a midnight snack. Dassault has also managed to keep the cabin altitude nice and low like the other production Falcons despite the increased window area.

At 5500 nautical miles, range is not forecast to outsize the market's other long-range large-cabin twinjets. That said, it's sufficient to connect most major intercontinental city pairs at a respectable cruise speed of Mach .80 with an endurance of nearly 12 hours.

In general, the Falcons are short field performers and give their owners access to more airports than heavier competitors because they can operate in and out of the smaller strips. The 6X will have good short field performance with an expected landing distance of less than 3000 feet and be able to fly slow steep approaches which also qualifies it for challenging destinations such as London City airport.

Two engines versus three. The fact is that modern turbine engines are so reliable and fail infrequently enough that Dassault followed the industry standard of powering the 6X with two Pratt & Whitney 812D engines departing from the tri-motor legacy of the other large cabin Falcons. Crossing the ocean in a three engine aircraft is more about piece of mind than the statistical significance of losing an engine. That said, losing 33% of power versus half of available thrust on a twin jet can be the difference of carrying that extra couple of thousand pounds out of Aspen, Colorado on a hot day. It could also be critical over high terrain where one engine inoperative drift-down can limit route options such as flying over the Himalayas. A prospective buyer should do a 90% mission analysis to determine how the two engine 6X will compare on the majority of the client's desired flights. Generally, it seems the 6X will be able to pull off most of the same missions without carrying around the cost of third engine. This is also welcome news to Falcon 7X/8X operators who shirk the awkward task of accessing the tail mounted center engine and its associated S-duct.

The 6X will be Dassault's heaviest production bird at 77,460 pounds fully loaded. That's still lighter than large cabin products from competing manufacturers which are up around the 100,000 pound mark. The lighter weight keeps costs down at airports where fees are charged based on the aircraft's max gross takeoff weight, and also offers comparative fuel savings.

With a $47M price tag, the Falcon 6X could be the best solution for a buyer seeking large cabin-to-price ratio in the long range bizjet segment. First deliveries expected in 2022.