France’s Dassault (Booth 2648, Static SD25) is forging ahead with its Falcon 6X program a few days after it amicably settled its dispute with Safran over the Silvercrest engine, the delay of which led to the cancellation of the 5X. “We’re currently entering the detailed design stage [for the 6X], and the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D [engine] certification campaign is progressing well,” Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said on Monday at NBAA 2018. First delivery of the 6X is on schedule for 2022, he added.

Trappier also alluded to the next Falcon model. “We are now planning a new program launch, which will [enter service] a few years after the 6X.” Looking further out, Trappier added, “We need to prepare for single-pilot [operations], but not for the 6X—it is a 10-year plan, hopefully.”

Olivier Villa, Dassault's senior v-p of civil aircraft who is overseeing 6X development, said several engines are being tested by P&WC on benches and its Boeing 747 flying testbed. “The core engine has more than 12,000 hours of operation now,” he said.

All preliminary design reviews have been done for the 6X, Villa added. "We’re now doing the detailed design for the structural parts and systems.” In addition, the major partners and suppliers have been selected. Notably, Safran is still on the program, providing the OBIGGS fuel-inerting system that converts tank air from 21 percent O2 to “less than 5 percent” using nitrogen—“a first for a Falcon and new in our industry.”

The 6X will feature the newly certified FalconEye vision system (developed jointly with Elbit of Israel), and Villa said Dassault is targeting dual-HUD certification for FalconEye in 2020, initially for the 8X, as well as EFVS to land, which eliminates the need for the pilot to have any real-world vision to land.

The company is also preparing for the entry-into-service of its FalconConnect system, developed jointly with Honeywell, by “the end of 2018” for use on current and to-be-delivered aircraft. “It will revolutionize the way satcom is used,” said Villa, including providing far more control over use of connectivity, down to individual user/device settings to prevent large bills, for example.

Also, Dassault continues to enhance its service and support provision, including the opening soon of a new spares center at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport now that Bordeaux has reached capacity.

However, Trappier said the company is being cautious about production ramp-up. “We delivered 49 aircraft last year and our target this year is 50—we adapt to the market. Step-by-step we are going to increase the production line.”

On the preowned aircraft market, Trappier said there had been a turnaround in 7X demand, with the type particularly hard to find now. He predicted pricing could soon trend upwards, having stabilized this year. He concluded by saying the new aircraft market is strong in the U.S. thanks to a strong economy and depreciation tax reform, while it has observed the market "picking up" in Europe, Russia, and Asia-Pacific, particularly for the 8X.