Surf Wiki
Save to docs
geography/france

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Dassault Falcon 7X

Executive trijet aircraft by Dassault

Dassault Falcon 7X

Executive trijet aircraft by Dassault

FieldValue
nameFalcon 7X/8X
imageFile:VQ-BGG@PEK (20170314150921).jpg
captionA Falcon 7X, landing gear down, flaps deployed
typeIntercontinental business jet
manufacturerDassault Aviation
national_originFrance
first_flight7X: 5 May 2005
8X: 6 February 2015
introduction7X: 15 June 2007
8X: 5 October 2016
primary_userAir Alsie
more_usersFlying Group
Volkswagen AirService GmbH
Shell Oil
produced2005–2023
number_built289 (7X, Q1 2020),
~50 (8X, 2018)
developed_fromDassault Falcon 900

8X: 6 February 2015 8X: 5 October 2016 Volkswagen AirService GmbH Shell Oil ~50 (8X, 2018)

The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, 5950 nmi range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation. Unveiled at the 2001 Paris Air Show, its first flight took place on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 June 2007. The Falcon 8X, first delivered on 5 October 2016, is derived from the 7X and has an extended range of 6450 nmi made possible through engine optimization, aerodynamic refinements as well as an increase in fuel capacity.

Falcon 7X

Dassault Falcon 7X assembly line at [[Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport

Development

Dassault launched the FNX at the 2001 Paris Air Show, aiming for a 10,500 km (5,700 nm) range at Mach 0.88, up from the Falcon 900EX's 8,300 km at Mach 0.84. Its new high-speed wing is 1.86 m longer with 5° higher wing sweep than the 900 wing; while its fuselage is 20% longer, it keeps the same cabin cross-section but with a new curved windscreen. The trijet has a combined thrust of 18,000 lb (80 kN) provided by Honeywell FX5s, a new design, or a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306 growth version. Based on Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, its EASy cockpit is developed for the Falcon 2000EX and 900EX and controls are fly-by-wire. Scheduled to fly in 2004, first deliveries were planned for mid-2006.

With 41 deposits, it was named 7X in November with first flight slipping from late 2004 to early 2005 and certification planned for mid-2006. With a simplified structure to reduce cost and weight, the optimised high-transonic wing improves the lift-to-drag ratio by 10% over the supercritical wing of the Falcon 50 shared by previous Falcons. The cabin is 2.4 m (8 ft) longer than the 900 and has a lower 6,000 ft (1,800m) cabin altitude. The 6100 lbf PW307A was finally selected, among other risk-sharing partners: Honeywell for avionics architecture, auxiliary power unit, air management system; with Parker Hannifin for the power generation system and wheels brakes; and TRW Aeronautical Systems for the hydromechanical flap and airbrake systems.

Falcon 7X on taxiway, 14 cabin windows

With over 50 firm orders, it completed its first flight on 5 May 2005, flying for 1h 36min from Bordeaux-Merignac, starting a 1,200h flight test programme over 15 month: it climbed to 10,000 ft (3,000 m) for hydraulic, fuel, air data and landing gear extraction/retraction systems tests, then climbed to 25,000 ft for acceleration/deceleration tests and basic autopilot and autothrottle operations. The second Falcon 7X was planned to join in June of that year, and the third with a full interior in September that year for long-range, endurance tests and interior sound level validation: Dassault aims for a 52 dB sound level in the cabin, 4 dB lower than other Falcons. Certification slipped to late 2006 and first deliveries to early 2007.

It was first presented to the public at the 2005 Paris Air Show. The aircraft has received its type certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on 27 April 2007. The first 7X, MSN05, entered service on 15 June 2007. The hundredth was delivered in November 2010. It conducted high altitude airport tests at 14500 ft in Daocheng in 2014.

Price

In 2001, the Falcon 7X, at approximately $35 million (preproduction order price), was nearly $10 million less expensive than its nearest competitors in the long-range, large cabin market segment, including the Gulfstream G550 and Bombardier Global Express. It was targeted to be priced for 2004 at 12% more than the $33 million top-of-the-range Falcon 900EX equipped: $ million. In 2017, its list price was $54M, a three-to-four-year-old 7X was worth $27–34m and a seven-to-nine-year-old one cost $19–24M. The latest market data for Q1 2020 shows 287 out of 289 aircraft currently in operation with an asking price range of $18,495,000–$24,800,000.

In 2022, its equipped price was $54.2M.

Design

Planform view showing the 34.5° [[wing sweep
Falcon 7X Cockpit

The Falcon 7X is a three-engined cantilever monoplane with a low-positioned, highly swept wing. It has a horizontal stabiliser at mid-height and a retractable tricycle landing gear, and three rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney PW307A turbofan engines: two on the sides of the fuselage and one in a center position, and room for 19 passengers and three crew. It is the first production Falcon jet with winglets.

It is the first fully fly-by-wire business jet and is equipped with the same avionics suite, the Honeywell Primus Epic "Enhanced Avionics System" (EASy), that was used on the Falcon 900EX and later on the Falcon 2000EX.

The Falcon 7X is notable for its extensive use of computer-aided design, the manufacturer claiming it to be the "first aircraft to be designed entirely on a virtual platform", using Dassault Systèmes' CATIA and PLM products.

Falcon 7X interior

In February 2010, Dassault Falcon and BMW Designworks were awarded the 2009 Good Design Award by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design for their collaboration on the new Falcon 7X interior option. Due to special engine mounts and cabin isolators, the cabin is extremely quiet, below 50 dBA. It is available with a shower.

Pitch trim incident

EASA grounded the Falcon 7X fleet after a report from Dassault Aviation regarding an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent in one of its jets in May 2011. The aircraft pitched up to 41 degrees, with the load factor increasing to 4.6g, it climbed from 13,000 to 22,500 ft and the airspeed went from 300 to 125 kn.

"This condition, if occurring again, could lead to loss of control of the aeroplane," the EASA notice said. Initial results of investigation showed that there was a production defect in the Horizontal Stabilizer Electronic Control Unit which could have contributed to the cause of the event. Dassault Aviation developed modifications in June 2011 to allow a return to flight.

After four years of investigation, the Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile published its final report in June 2016. It was found that incorrect nose-up commands to the trimmable horizontal stabilizer were caused by a soldering defect on the pin of its electronic control unit provided by Rockwell Collins.

Teterboro–London-City record

On May 2, 2014, Dassault set a new speed record for the Falcon 7X of five hours and 54 minutes on a flight from New York Teterboro Airport to London City Airport.

Falcon 8X

Falcon 8X in flight (Paris Air Show 2019)

The 6450 nmi range Falcon 8X was announced at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in May 2014. Its cabin is 3.5 ft longer than the 7X. With improvements to wing design and improved Pratt & Whitney Canada PW300, the 8X is up to 35% more fuel efficient than its competitors.

The prototype, registered F-WWQA, first flew from Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport on 6 February 2015. The Falcon 8X was added as a subtype of the Falcon 7X on the EASA type certificate on 24 June 2016 as modification M1000 for S/N 0401 and ongoing. Dassault delivered the first Falcon 8X on 5 October 2016 to Greek business aviation operator Amjet Executive. By October 2018, the Falcon 8X FalconEye EFVS was approved by the FAA and EASA for approaches down to 100 feet, and dual HUD FalconEye will allow EVS-to-land in 2020, without using natural vision.

The three PW307D turbofans gained 320 lbf each, and are 1.5% more fuel efficient. MTOW is increased from 70,000 to 73,000 lb and fuel capacity is increased by 3,200 lb for 500 nmi more range. The wing structure is 600 lb lighter, and more flexible for comfort, while operating empty weight is 200 lb heavier than the 7X despite the 3.5 ft stretch. A strict weight control allows most operators to match or best Dassault's 36,800 lb estimate BOWs for a fully equipped aircraft with three crewmembers. Its unmatched structural efficiency, with a OEW only half of MTOW, allow a superior fuel efficiency while its MTOW is less than a 4100 nmi Gulfstream IV-SP. The first hour fuel burn is 4,000 lb while average cruise fuel burn is 2,250 lb per h. The 47dB average cabin sound level is 2–3dB lower than that of the Falcon 7X. In 2022, its equipped price was $62.5M.

Falcon 8X Archange

The Falcon Archange is a militarized variant of the Falcon 8X under development for the French Air and Space Force. Launched under the ARCHANGE (Avion de Renseignement à CHArge utile de Nouvelle GEnération) strategic intelligence aircraft program in December 2019, it is intended for SIGINT and electronic warfare. The aircraft will be equipped with a Universal Electronic Warfare Capability (Capacité Universelle de Guerre Électronique or CUGE) developed by Thales. The system will notably be able to detect and analyze radio emissions and radar signals simultaneously. Thales will supply multi-polarization antennas, as well as artificial intelligence technologies to enhance automatic processing. The information gathered by the systems will then be analyzed by eavesdropping and intelligence specialists and fed into the French Armed Forces' databases. The program also includes a ground training platform. Two Falcon 8X Archange are on order, with an additional unit planned. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected in 2028. Its first flight takes place on July 17, 2025.

Operators

Civil operators

More than 260 Falcon 7X have been delivered between mid-2007 and March 2016 and the type has flown more than 440,000 hours. Europe has 117 aircraft, 45% of the fleet: 18 in Switzerland, 13 in France, eight in Luxembourg, seven in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Portugal, six in Russia, four in Ukraine among others. Antwerp's Flying Group operates five aircraft, Shell Oil has four in Rotterdam and Dassault Falcon Service at Paris-Le Bourget manages four, as does Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg. 20% of the fleet is in North America: more than 50 in the U.S., six in Canada and five in Mexico. In Asia-Pacific, 14 are in Hong Kong and 11 in China among others. Planet Nine Private Air LLC, a premium ultra long range charter based in Los Angeles, operates five Falcon 7X. Jet charter and management company Clay Lacy Aviation operates Falcon 7X aircraft on both U.S. coasts.

Corporate and charter operators use their Falcon 8Xs 600 to 850 hours per year, while individual operators fly theirs 300 to 400 hours per year. Air Alsie, in Denmark, operates five Falcon 8Xs and six Falcon 7Xs. Five 8Xs are based in Switzerland while Volkswagen, Global Jet Luxembourg and ExecuJet Europe each fly two 8Xs. Other operators have a single 8X each: Shell, Flying Group, Aviaservice Air in Kazan, Russia, NetJets Europe, TAG Aviation in Geneva, Switzerland, and Abelag Aviation. Six are based in the US including with Bechtel, Citrus Products, Energy Transfer Partners, Honeywell, Sony. Three are based in China, two in São Paulo, and others are registered in San Marino, Malta and Monaco, throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East and India.

Sam Airways based in Senegal operates one Falcon 8X and one Falcon 7X.

Private owners of Falcon 7X aircraft include Bernie Ecclestone and Taylor Swift.

As of 2025 Max Verstappen owns a Falcon 8X.

Government and military operators

Nigerian Air Force Falcon 7X

; : Royal Australian Air Force: three Falcon 7X leased for VVIP missions. ; : Belgian Air Force: 2x Falcon 7X in military service (OO-LUM & OO-FAE) dry leased from Luxaviation (former Abelag Aviation). ; : The Republic of the Congo used a Falcon 7X as a presidential transport until 2020, when the aircraft was seized and then auctioned off in 2023 for 7.1 million euros to partially satisfy a judgement debt. ; : Ecuadorian Air Force : One Falcon 7X (ID: FAE 052) for long-distance travel. Delivered November 4, 2013; first official trip November 25, 2013. ; : Egyptian Air Force: four Falcon 7X on order ; : French Air and Space Force

  • 2 Falcon 7X ordered and delivered. In service since 2009, the two aircraft are part of the French presidential fleet (a fleet of 7 aircraft dedicated to presidential and government transport).
  • 2 Falcon 8X Archange SIGINT/EW aircraft on order to succeed the Air and Space Force's Transall C-160 Gabriel, with 1 additional unit to be purchased. ; : Hellenic Air Force: One Falcon 7X ; : Hungarian Air Force: Two Falcon 7X (HuAF606) (HuAF607) ; : Indonesian Air Force: Two Falcon 8X, delivered as part of the first batch of the Indonesian Dassault Rafale contract. Previously the Indonesian Air Force operated one Falcon 7X and one Falcon 8X as interim planes for familiarization and training, stationed in 17th Air Squadron for VVIP transport. ; : Albert II, Prince of Monaco: one Falcon 7X since 2013. ; : Namibian government: one Falcon 7X ; : Nigerian Air Force: Two Falcon 7X ; : Two such aircraft (with registration numbers RA-09007, RA-09009) use the Russian special flight squad based on the state-owned Rossiya Airlines to transport the highest officials of the state. ; : President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe took delivery of a Falcon 7X in March 2023.

Specifications

Variant7X8XCockpit crewCapacityCabin sectionCabin lengthLengthHeightWingspanWing areaWing loadingMTOWMax payloadFuel capacityBOWTurbofans (×3)ThrustRange (8 passengers)CeilingMax speedCruise speedTakeoff BFLLandingAvionics
Two
12 to 16 passengers
2.34 m (7.67 ft) width, 1.88 m (6.17 ft) headroom
11.91 m (39.07 ft)13 m (42.67 ft)
23.38 m (76.08 ft)24.46 m (80.2 ft)
7.83 m (25.67 ft)7.94 m (26.1 ft)
26.21 m (86 ft)26.29 m (86.25 ft)
70.7 m2 (761 sq ft)
{{#expr:31751/70.7round0}} kg/m2{{#expr:33113/70.7round0}} kg/m2
31,751 kg (70,000 lb)33,113 kg (73,000 lb)
{{#expr:41000-36600}} lb{{#expr:41000-36100}} lb
14,488 kg (31,940 lb)15,830 kg (34,900 lb)
36,600 lb36,100 lb
P&WC PW307AP&WC PW307D
28.48 kN (6,402 lbf)29.9 kN (6,722 lbf)
5950 nmi6450 nmi
15,545 m (51,000 ft)
0.9 Mach
0.8 Mach
1,740 m (5,710 ft)1,829 m (6,000 ft)
631 m (2,070 ft)656 m (2,150 ft)
Falcon Enhanced Avionics System (EASy) Flight Deck

References

References

  1. "Falcon 7X Market Data".
  2. (September 19, 2019). "Dassault Falcon 8X: A Trijet Honed To Perfection". Aviation Week.
  3. William Garvey. (May 19, 2014). "Dassault Expands Falcon Family With 8X". Aviation Week.
  4. (26 June 2001). "Dassault unveils long-range Falcon". Flight International.
  5. (6 Nov 2001). "Dassault unveils Falcon 7X long-range business jet". Flight International.
  6. (17 May 2005). "Falcon 7X completes its first flight". Flight International.
  7. (April 27, 2007). "Dassault Falcon 7X Earns EASA and FAA Certification". Dassault Falcon.
  8. (June 15, 2007). "Falcon 7X enters service". Flight Global.
  9. (26 November 2010). "Dassault scores a century with 7X". Flight Global.
  10. Sarsfield, Kate. (23 September 2014). "Dassault Falcon 7X set to operate from world's highest commercial airport". Reed Business Information.
  11. (2001). "Falcon 7X Trades Unwanted Range For a Price Tag Lower by $10 Million". Business & Commercial Aviation.
  12. Murdo Morrison. (May 2, 2007). "Onboard the 7X...". Flight International.
  13. (13 June 2017). "The Costs to Own and Operate a Falcon 7X". SherpaReport.
  14. (22 January 2020). "The Dassault-Falcon 7x Price-Guide". AvBuyer.com.
  15. (Second Quarter 2023). "Purchase planning handbook - Jets table". Business & Commercial Aircraft.
  16. (May 3, 2010). "Pilot Report on Falcon 7X Fly-by-Wire Control System". Aviation Week & Space Technology.
  17. (May 24, 2004). "Dassault Aviation and Dassault Systèmes Make Industry History -- Falcon 7X Jet Becomes First Aircraft Entirely Developed on Virtual Platform". Dassault Systèmes.
  18. (February 5, 2010). "Dassault's Falcon 7X BMW Interior Option Wins Design Award".
  19. Mark Huber. (May 2017). "Dassault Falcon 7X". Business Jet Traveler.
  20. Sarsfield, Kate. (26 May 2011). "EASA grounds Dassault Falcon 7X after pitch trim incident". Flight Global.
  21. (May 26, 2011). "EASA Grounds Falcon 7X Fleet".
  22. (May 26, 2011). "Emergency Airworthiness Directive No. 2011-0102-E". EASA.
  23. (16 June 2011). "Emergency Airworthiness Directive 2011-0114-E". EASA.
  24. (June 16, 2011). "Dassault says Falcon 7x is now back in the air". [[Reuters]].
  25. (June 13, 2016). "Serious incident to a Dassault Falcon 7X, registered HB-JFN on 05/24/2011 at Subang (Malaisie)". [[Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile]].
  26. Haria, Rupa. "Falcon 7X Sets New Speed Record". Aviation Week.
  27. (December 17, 2014). "Dassault Aviation Reveals First Falcon 8X". Dassault Aviation.
  28. (6 February 2015). "MAIDEN FLIGHT: "Smooth" sortie opens Falcon 8X test campaign". Flight Global.
  29. (24 June 2016). "type certificate data sheet". EASA.
  30. (October 6, 2016). "Dassault delivers first Falcon 8X to Greece's Amjet Executive". Flight Global.
  31. Matt Thurber. (October 9, 2018). "FAA, EASA OK Dassault 8X EFVS Down to 100 Feet". AIN online.
  32. (Second Quarter 2022). "Purchase planning handbook - Ultra long-range Jets table". Business & Commercial Aircraft.
  33. (14 January 2020). "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations".
  34. (14 January 2020). "Le Falcon 8X Archange au service de l'armée de l'Air".
  35. https://www.facebook.com/groups/564543723714250/posts/3101803596654904 {{Bare URL inline. (August 2025)
  36. (March 24, 2016). "Operators Survey: Dassault Falcon 7X". Aviation Week.
  37. "G650ER, Falcon 7X And Pilatus PC-24 Join Clay Lacy's Northeastern Charter Fleet | Aero-News Network".
  38. "UBS sells Credit Suisse jet used by Horta-Osório during Covid breaches".
  39. (8 April 2019). "RAAF to lease three Dassault 7X for VVIP mission".
  40. (25 March 2020). "Dassault Falcon 7X". Royal Australian Air Force.
  41. (16 August 2021). "België stuurt vliegtuigen naar Kaboel na oproep van tientallen Belgen in Afghanistan".
  42. Odhiambo, Victor Shalton. (2023-10-09). "Republic of Congo's Presidential Jet Sold at Auction for a Fraction of Its Value".
  43. (18 August 2016). "Egypt to buy 4 Falcon 7X from Dassault for $337M".
  44. (20 August 2016). "Dassault Aviation vend quatre Falcon 7X à l'Egypte". [[La Tribune]].
  45. (24 April 2022). "La flotte présidentielle française de 1947 à nos jours".
  46. (11 August 2016). "Escadron de transport 60". [[French Air and Space Force]].
  47. (12 October 2011). "IV.– LE SUIVI DU TRANSPORT AU PROFIT DES AUTORITÉS PUBLIQUES".
  48. (24 April 2022). "La flotte présidentielle française de 1947 à nos jours".
  49. (14 January 2020). "Défense : Archange décolle, les armées espionneront les théâtres d'opérations".
  50. Chapman, Khalem. (March 2020). "France awards ARCHANGE contract".
  51. (October 19, 2021). "Καλοτάξιδο! Η Dassault παραχώρησε δωρεάν το Falcon 7X στην Πολεμική μας Αεροπορία". pentapostagma.
  52. (12 December 2018). "Egy harmadik Airbust és további repülőket vesz a honvédség". Euronews.
  53. (2018-08-05). "Business jettel fokozta légiszállító képességét a honvédség".
  54. "Dassault Falcon 7X, a légiszállítási képességfejlesztés második fázisa".
  55. (23 August 2022). "The plane of the Hungarian Defense Forces carrying members of the government flew to Moscow, it is a mystery who was traveling on it and why".
  56. (31 August 2024). "Pesawat Falcon 8X A-0802 Kedua TNI AU Tiba Di Indonesia".
  57. (28 December 2022). "Menhan Prabowo Tinjau Pesawat Interim Falcon 7X dan 8X TNI AU".
  58. (2022-12-28). "Prabowo Serahkan Dua Unit Pesawat Falcon Untuk Perkuat Skadron Udara 17 TNI AU".
  59. (5 March 2013). "Albert s'offre l'avion de ses rêves". [[Paris Match]].
  60. (March 18, 2009). "Government defends new Falcon". [[The Namibian]].
  61. "Государственный визит президента России в Армению (фоторепортаж)".
  62. (2023-04-28). "Mnangagwa buys swanky US$54 million presidential jet".
  63. "Falcon 7X". Dassault Aviation.
  64. "Falcon 8X". Dassault Aviation.
  65. (May 2016). "Business Airplanes Purchase Planning Handbook". Aviation Week.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

dassault-aircraft 2000s-french-business-aircraft low-wing-aircraft trijets cruciform-tail-aircraft aircraft-first-flown-in-2005 aircraft-with-retractable-tricycle-landing-gear
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Dassault Falcon 7X — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report