The first Dassault Falcon 7X ultra long-range business jet has arrived at the airframer’s US completion centre in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The aircraft (manufacturer's serial number 005) arrived from Bordeaux Mérignac accompanied by a green Falcon 2000EX EASy.
“Little Rock and has been preparing for this moment since the Falcon 7X programme was announced in 2001,” says John Rosanvallon, Dassault Falcon president and chief executive. “We’ve increased employment, enlarged our production facility and are evaluating further increases to accommodate the unprecedented demand for all Falcon aircraft but particularly the Falcon 7X.”
Little Rock, which is Dassault’s largest facility, has dedicated four hangars totalling 9,200m2 (99,000ft2) for 7X completions. Dassault says it expects to increase employment at the facility by slightly more than 200 people over the coming years to accommodate the demand.
The Falcon 7X flight test and certification programme has accumulated around 1,300h over 450 flights. The four aircraft used in the programme are now flown daily with many performing multiple flights every day, says Dassault.
The Falcon 7X is scheduled for European and US approval in the first quarter of next year, leading to first delivery to a European launch customer early in the second quarter.
The Falcon 7X programme is arguably the most successful launch of a large cabin business jet with over 125 aircraft on order. Forty aircraft are now in various stages of production with serial number 19 in final assembly at Charles Lindbergh Hall in Bordeaux-Mérignac. Announced last year, production of the Falcon 7X will increase to three a month in late 2007. “To accommodate strong demand, future production increases are currently being evaluated. The next delivery position available is in 2011,” Dassault says.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
