Dassault Falcon 8X Unveiled in Bordeaux

The latest ultra-long-range luxury business jet from Dassault was unveiled in typical French style this month during a ceremonial dinner at their Bordeaux Merignac factory.

Olivier Villa, senior vice-president for civil aircraft said, “The program is right on schedule” as the executive aircraft was proudly showcased with barely dry paint in a launch that was described as mixing “prestige, passion for aviation and the French touch.”

As the aircraft undergoes some modifications that were highlighted during recent testing, the first flight is planned for the first quarter of next year, after each system is signed-off by Dassault’s flight test team. This is expected to be accomplished by the end of January, according to Frederic Petit, vice-president for the Falcon programs.

Three aircraft will be tested by the Falcon 8X program chief test pilot Eric Gerard and test pilot Herve Lavergne. Two of the three aircraft will be available for sale to customers after being demonstrators for approximately one year and the other will remain in Dassault’s fleet.