Dassault’s upcoming super-midsize business jet, already known to have fly-by-wire flight controls and Rolls-Royce engines, remains an otherwise fluid project at this stage. Charles Edelstenne, chairman of Dassault Aviation, told 850 breakfast guests here yesterday that “other partners will be chosen before the end of next year,” at which time Dassault will reveal more details about the proposed airplane. The company is not yet ready to take orders, he added.

The Falcon 2000DX received its FAA and EASA certification papers last week, and deliveries of the 3,250-nm twinjet will begin early next year. Dassault is looking at year end for FAA and EASA certification of the winglet-equipped 2000LX, announced at EBACE in Geneva this spring. The next delivery position for the airplane is in 2012.

The airplane has logged 35 flights totaling 28 hours so far, and, for a winglet weight penalty of 275 pounds, it will boost range by 5 percent and climb performance by 7 percent. The 900EX will get winglets next, and Dassault expects they will boost range by 200 nm and reduce trip carbon emissions. “We would like to have used the 2000LX winglets on the Falcon 900LX, but the loadings and leading edges are different,” said Olivier Villa, senior vice president of civil aircraft.

Following the award of FAA and EASA certification on April 27 this year, Falcon 7X owners have now logged 600 hours and 250 landings. More than 80 Falcon 7Xs are currently in various stages of construction, said Villa. The advanced trijet will head for La Paz, Bolivia, next month for trials that will raise the field-elevation limitation to 14,000 feet from its current 10,000 feet. Hot-weather testing in Tunisia was completed this month, and the operating temperature envelope will be duly expanded to extend from -50 degrees C to 55 degrees C.