Dassault Aviation has officially Launched the Falcon 6X in February 2018, the successor to the company's ill-fated 5X project, which was officially cancelled in December,2017 due to persistent problems with the aircraft's Safran Silvercrest engines. The Falcon 6X will instead use Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D series engines, each capable of producing between 13,000 – 14,000lb of thrust. 

The extra-tall, extra-wide, 5,500-nautical-mile Falcon 6X successfully completed its maiden flight on March 10, 2021. Since the inaugural flight of the first prototype, several prototypes have completed over 400 flights (1,100 hours) up to March 2023.

In 2022, during the summer, one of the three flight test aircraft underwent hot weather trials in the Tunisian desert, where temperatures reached up to 48°C. This was in contrast to the earlier cold soak trials in Canada, where temperatures dropped as low as -38°C. Within one month, the first production 6X completed a route-proving global tour covering more than 50,000 nm. It landed in more than 50 cities across five continents, and technicians assessed over 250 reliability items. Sometimes, they even flew four or five flights in the same day. The longest leg of the tour was from Paris to Los Angeles, which took 11 hours and 25 minutes.

The Falcon 6X is powered by new-generation Pratt & Whitney PW812D engines, which in addition to outstanding flight safety and performance will provide double digit improvements in fuel efficiency and carbon emissions. In August 2022, the aircraft's 13,500-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney 812D engine received EASA certification and following, the FAA has certified the PW812D turbofan engine that will power Dassault’s Falcon 6X, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) on 2nd December 2022. The most advanced of the PW-800 series improves fuel efficiency and emissions by double digits versus comparable powerplants and reduces scheduled maintenance by 40 percent. The PW812D engine has shown exceptional performance during program development with more than 6,100 hours of engine testing, including 1,150+ hours of flight testing and 20,000 hours on the engine core during the test campaign. The engine is also SAF compatible up to 50 percent and has routinely flown on SAF mixtures during the Falcon 6X flight test program. 

The engine delivers double-digit improvement in fuel efficiency, setting a new "green" engine standard for emissions with the advanced TALON™ X combustor, and its low-noise design and low-vibration levels will contribute to reducing cabin noise for a more comfortable passenger experience. The PW812D’s advanced common core technology, employed in 16 different PurePower engine applications, has amassed more than 585,000 in-service hours. From a maintenance perspective, the PW800 engine family sets the industry standard, with 40% less scheduled maintenance than other engines in its class.

Landing at Challenging Airports Made Possible with Non-Standard Steep Approaches up to 6 Degrees

It has the widest purpose-built business jet cabin at 2.58 m (102 in). Its 70.7 m2 (761 sq ft) wing allows a 35,135 kg (77,459 lb) maximum weight with 13,460 lbf (59.9 kN) engines, for a 5,500 nmi (10,186 km) range at Mach 0.80 or 5,100 nm (9,445km) at Mach .85. With an intercontinental range of 5,500 nm (10,186 km), the aircraft will fly nonstop in whisper-quiet comfort from London to Hong Kong or Los Angeles to Moscow.

 With extendable leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps on the wings, approach speed can be as low as 109 KIAS (202 km/h) with 8 passengers, 3 crew, SL, NBAA IFR reserves, even on non-standard steep approaches up to 6 degrees. Land at London City, Lugano, Saint-Tropez, Aspen and other challenging airports.

Thanks to much more fuel capacity, The Falcon 6X is able to make a short hop to an interim airport, pick up passenger and then continue on to an overseas destination without having to refuel. This feature provides more flexibility with economic efficiency to the operators.  

Revolutionary Situational Awareness

The FalconEye combined vision system (CVS) – which most Falcon 8X customers selected – will be standard on the 6X. FalconEye is the first Head-Up Display (HUD) to blend synthetic, database-driven terrain imaging and actual thermal and lowllight camera images into a single view, providing an unprecedented level of situational awareness to flight crews in challenging weather conditions and all phases of flight. The EFVS (Enhanced Flight Vision System) function provides operational credits for bad weather approaches with 100 ft minimums, with plans to achieve full EFVS-to-land capability in near zero/zero conditions. Dual HUD is optional on the 6X.

The 30x40 degree field of view is one of the widest angles on any HUD, ensuring full viewing coverage with 1280x1024-pixel resolution. FalconEye features a fourth-generation multi-sensor camera whose six sensors present top quality images in both the visible and infrared spectrums. Dassault’s revolutionary FalconEye combined vision system will be standard on the 6X, providing enhanced safety and situational awareness on approaches in darkness or poor weather. These images are combined with three dedicated worldwide synthetic vision databases that map terrain, obstacles, navigation, and airport and runway data. FalconEye was developed in partnership with Elbit Systems. 

The Falcon 6X will also be the first Falcon equipped with the FalconScan advanced diagnostics system, which monitors and reports on 100,000 maintenance parameters.

The improved cockpit avionics package includes the latest generation of the EASy system--EASy IV, powered by Honeywell’s Primus Epic platform. EASy IV has more processing power, improving the graphics, color and crispness of displays. It includes new capabilities such as RNP instrument approaches, the ability to display traffic in the air and on the ground, airport moving maps for easier taxiing, optional SiriusXM weather and a Runway Overrun Awareness and Alerting System (ROAAS). EASy IV includes an improved controllerpilot data link communication (CPDLC) system and RDR 7000 IntuVue 3D color weather radar that provides predictive lightning and hail detection as well as 60 nm range Doppler turbulence detection. Hazardous weather and the vertical definition of thunderstorms can be seen at distances up to 320 nm.

Cabin Space & Amenities

The Falcon 6X will set a new standard for widebody comfort, with the tallest and widest cabin in business aviation. Measuring six feet, six inches in height and eight feet, six inches in width, the 6X will be the first ultra-widebody purpose-built business jet in the industry.

Up to 16 Passengers; Take a large team – there’s room enough to accommodate 12-16 passengers – with individual seating in three separate lounge areas. The extra width also means a 5-inch wider aisle compared to previous Falcons, for more elbow room and easier movement between cabin sections.

Multiple Configurations; Options include an extended entryway and galley, a crew rest area, and a spacious rear stateroom, affording greater privacy when desired, especially on long overnight flights. A new option since 2022 is the Falcon Privacy Suite with an electrically controlled lie-flat seat. One or more can be installed in the 6X cabin.

Large Windows… and a Skylight; The Falcon 6X’s extra-large windows (30 of them) both brighten the cabin naturally and provide unprecedented views, with a total of nearly 5,000 square inches and the highest percentage of window area in its class. Plus, it features an industry-first skylight that provides additional natural light in the normally dim galley area.

Quiet and Refreshing; Like the Falcon 8X, the 6X will be the quietest cabin in the sky with interior sound levels below 50 dB. Cabin air is refreshed continuously and processed through hospital-grade HEPA filters to provide added protection against airborne pathogens. “Cabin altitude” pressurization is maintained at a very comfortable 3,900 feet (1,189 m), when cruising at 41,000 feet (12,497 m). Passengers not only travel in the most comfortable conditions they arrive at their destination refreshed and ready for the day.

Connectivity with Style; The 6X cabin comes with high-speed connectivity system solution ensuring seamless in-flight communications and high-speed access to Internet. Connectivity service options include Ka-Band network that allows even faster and more consistent data speed. The cabin also comes equipped with new in-flight entertainment and communications network technology designed to distribute crisp, high-definition audio and video content throughout the cabin. Dassault’s Innovative Cabin System (ICS) provides easy fingertip control of cabin environment (temperature, shades, light) plus entertainment on touch panels and personal devices. Passengers can stream audio by Bluetooth from their personal devices to earbuds or cabin speakers.

FALCON 6X is slated to enter service in mid-2023