Dassault Aviation is anticipating certification shortly for its combined enhanced- and synthetic-vision system, dubbed the “FalconEye,” on Falcon 2000S and LXS aircraft. The system is to be qualified on the aircraft by midyear and also will be available on the Falcon 8X, which is expected to enter service later this year.

The system, which combines synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping and thermal and low-light camera images in a single view, has proven popular among 8X customers, Dassault said, noting nearly four out of five 8X customers have opted for the technology.

Certification will culminate a two-year test and development program that has involved more than 250 approaches designed to prove capabilities in a range of operating environments. The system also has undergone simulation tests.

First revealed publicly during the NBAA convention last fall, FalconEye incorporates a fourth-generation multi-sensor camera that provides high-definition images close to the quality found on a military FLIR. The camera will provide a 30-by-40 degree field of view full coverage without tunnel-vision effects.

The system is designed to add on future capabilities, such as EVS to land with lower minimums.

Dassault (Booth Z091) expects to make FalconEye available in both single- and dual-HUD configuration on the 8X. Single-HUD approval is anticipated late this year.

Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier called the technology a “big breakthrough for pilots” and said it will be an important advancement in human factors safety. Olivier Villa, senior v-p, civil aircraft for Dassault Aviation, said the company has first been concentrating on bringing the technology to market on the 2000 and 8X models. But once in service, he added, the company will consider the next possible options.

FalconEye is among a number of upgrades Dassault has begun to offer for both its new and legacy aircraft. During EBACE, the manufacturer announced a suite of Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics upgrades for the Falcon 50EX, Falcon 2000 and Falcon 2000EX aircraft.

Previously available only through Rockwell Collins, the customized Pro Line 21 packages now under a Dassault supplemental type certificate (STC) provide both hardware and software upgrades that will comply with new air traffic management requirements such as FANS 1/A, ADS-B and WAAS/SBAS (see also story on page 66).

The upgrades will include navigation capabilities such as LPV and improved situational awareness features such as synthetic vision, electronic charts/maps and XM weather overlay. The package can be installed at any Dassault Aircraft Services, Dassault Falcon service facility or Falcon authorized service center.

Trappier said these advancements for in-production aircraft are “essential to ensuring their continued success in a very competitive market.”