Chad is the editor of AINalerts, AIN's daily business aviation newsletter, and is also the news editor at AIN Media Group.&nbsp;He has been writing about aviation, with an emphasis on business aviation, since 1994. Chad started his writing career at The Avion,&nbsp;the&nbsp;student newspaper at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, serving as editor-in-chief before graduating with a bachelor's in aeronautical science. After a stint as managing editor at Professional Pilot&nbsp;magazine, he joined&nbsp;AIN in late 1998. Chad holds a commercial pilot certificated with instrument and multi-engine ratings, and he also is a CFI/CFII. He lives and works from his home in Venice, Florida.

Online Editor

Chad Trautvetter

Dassault Aviation joined the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ainalerts/2013-10-21/dassault-finally-uncloaks-super-midsize-falcon-5x">Falcon 5X</a>’s main center fuselage subassemblies–the front and rear lower subassemblies and the upper subassembly–in mid-April, the company announced on Thursday. This is a milestone for the 5,200-nm wide-cabin twinjet, which the French OEM expects to fly in the first half of next year and enter service in 2017.


Next month, the main center section will be joined to the forward section and the rear section, forming the complete fuselage. Once fully assembled and pressure tested, the fuselage will be ready for shipment this summer to Dassault’s plant in Mérignac, France, for aircraft final assembly.


Meanwhile, automated wing assembly is under way at the company’s Martignas plant near Mérignac, with the first set of 5X wings due to arrive at Mérignac at the same time as the fuselage. A pair of the Snecma Silvercrest turbofans chosen to power the twinjet will also arrive later this summer. Landing-gear tests have been completed and tests on other systems have begun, including avionics, fuel and air conditioning.

Dassault Falcon 5X Coming Together Quickly

Center fuselage section for the first 5X has been joined and full fuselage will be completed this summer.

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