Dassault Now Has Three 7X Jets In Test Program

Dassault Falcon got its third 7X business jet, S/N 03, into the test program with a successful first flight Tuesday from the French manufacturer's facility in Bordeaux-Merignac, France. The aircraft flew for one hour and 43 minutes, reaching an altitude of 41,000 feet and a speed of Mach 0.82. S/N 3 will be used primarily for avionics, systems and reliability testing, Dassault officials said.

With the first flight of S/N 3, the 7X test program reached 171 hours during 60 flights. Test pilots have performed landings and takeoffs at maximum aft and maximum forward CG as well as maximum takeoff weight, the company said. Aircraft have climbed to 48,000 feet and pilots have conducted 3G maneuvers. Crews also have performed flight tests at minimum maneuvering speeds and done several stall tests, and have continued to test the aircraft's fly-by-wire system. Dassault said 10 pilots have flown the 7X including one from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The manufacturer anticipates the total flight test program will include about 1,200 hours of flight tests before FAA and EASA certification is achieved late next year.