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Jetgala Magazine Singapore
Jetgala Magazine Singapore

The Dassault Falcon 6X Asian debut at the Singapore Airshow 2020

Dassault Aviation’s exhibition at the Singapore Airshow 2020 showcases the aerospace company’s headstrong future

The Singapore Airshow 2020 was a busy one for Dassault Aviation. As other business jet manufacturers withdrew from exhibiting due to the COVID-19 situation, Dassault Aviation stayed on as an exhibitor, eventually becoming the only major business jet manufacturer exhibiting aircraft at the show this year.

The static display is something that trade show goers always look forward to and this year was no exception. On the ground outside the Dassault Aviation chalet were its ultra-long-range Falcon 8X flagship and high-performance Falcon 2000LXS.

The Falcon 8X has been a market leader in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region since the first aircraft was delivered in the region three years ago. It can fly non-stop in popular city pairings, like Hong Kong to London, Singapore to Zurich, and Beijing to New York. Its lithe body gives it the versatility to land at restricted airports like London City that are typically inaccessible to larger business and commercial jets. As a plus for travellers, the spacious cabin is the quietest of any business jet on the market.

The Falcon 2000LXS has also proven popular in the APAC region, especially among corporate customers. It offers short-field capabilities comparable to midsize business jet models, but with a range and comfort of larger aircraft – the Falcon 2000LXS is able to fly from Singapore to Sydney or from Singapore to Dubai.

First looks
The Singapore Airshow 2020 was also where the mock-up of the Falcon 6X made its Asia debut. The Falcon 6X is a new ultra-widebody that is currently in development and expected to have its first flight early next year. The Falcon 6X will offer the largest cabin cross-section of any purpose-built business jet.

Jean-Michel Jacob, President, Civil Aircraft, Dassault Aviation Asia Pacific, shared that the 6X mock-up took six weeks by sea to ship from France to Singapore. “It was important to have the mock-up at the show… [so that] people can sit in the passenger cabin and experience it for themselves to really appreciate the spaciousness and comfort of the cabin,” he said.

Speaking with Jetgala, Jacob also shared developments of the Falcon 6X. Sub-assemblies have already been built and the first aircraft is in final assembly. “We will then be doing test flights and working to get EASA and US FAA certification, so that [Dassault Aviation] will be able to start delivering to customers in 2022,” he said.

For those who were unable to attend the Singapore Airshow 2020 to view and experience the mock-up Falcon 6X, Jacob highlighted his favourite features of the aircraft with Jetgala. “Walking into the 6X feels like walking into a home; it all depends on how you want to customise the interior cabin and furnishings,” he commented. In further detail, Jacob also shared that the aircraft will have three spacious lounge areas, with the one at the rear favourably used as a private bedroom for many customers.

The Falcon line of business jets is available with a number of advanced systems that considerably enhance aircraft capability and safety. These include FalconConnect, a new inflight broadband service to keep passengers fully connected at all times, anywhere in the world. Falcon aircraft are also available with Dassault’s revolutionary FalconEye Combined Vision System, the first head-up display in business aviation to combine synthetic and enhanced vision capabilities in a single view.

Ruling customer service
Dassault Aviation combines state-of-the- art technology with excellent customer service. It was recently recognised and voted number one for customer support by several publications, Pro Pilot Magazine and Aviation International News. “We have been investing a lot in customer support globally and in the region,” said Jacob. “Dassault Aviation bought ExecuJet MRO Services last year, which has aircraft maintenance facilities around the globe, including in Malaysia and several cities in Australasia.”

ExecuJet MRO Services’ Kuala Lumpur facility is expected to become a major hub for Falcon after-sales services, as it is the largest business aviation MRO in Malaysia and serves customers across the APAC region. It has been adding Dassault aircraft maintenance facilities capability. For example, the US FAA has certified the MRO to do line and heavy maintenance
on Dassault Aviation business jets and the Malaysia facility has also sent engineers and technicians to Dassault in France for training.

All in, Dassault Aviation is showing positive outlooks for the future. Apart from the first flight of the Falcon 6X to look forward to, its certification and entry into service in 2022, Chief Executive Officer Eric Trappier also revealed at NBAA that Dassault Aviation is working on another Falcon model as well.

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