Detailed design is nearly complete, and the production and assembly of the ultra-widebody twin Falcon 10X is gearing up at sites around Europe and North America, including at a brand new Factory 4.0 smart manufacturing facility in Seclin, northern France. A new production hall in Biarritz in southwestern France is dedicated to the aircraft’s all-composite wing. A first wing is in final assembly and will be placed in a static test rig this summer.

“We are making excellent progress in getting this new aircraft into production, and the coming months will see an increasing flow of parts, subsystems and large structures into our facilities in the south of France,” says Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “With help from the world’s leading suppliers, the Falcon 10X will be the most advanced and capable aircraft in business aviation.”

The 10X will have the largest cabin of any purpose-built business jet, along with the most flexible and homelike interior. With a cabin height of six ft, eight inches and volume of 2,780 cubic ft, the ultra-spacious cabin has been likened to a 'flying penthouse'. Range will be 7,500 nm (13,900 km) at Mach 0.85 and top speed will be Mach 0.925.

The aircraft has recently won a Red Dot distinction recognising the excellence of its interior design.

“Dassault Aviation stands apart in its ability to blend high technology - the company is a world leader in aerodynamics and digital flight control - with cabin aesthetics and the inventive use of modern design,” says Trappier. “The objective is to raise the bar in terms of passenger experience, which is what you will see in the 10X.”

In addition to its superb ergonomics and ultra-flexible layout, the 10X interior will offer a host of other wellness features such as 100 per cent pure air and a new environmental system permitting precise temperature control in each passenger section.

The 10X has also received recognition in the private jet interiors category from the International Yacht & Aviation Awards (IYAA) sponsored by design magazine design et al, and these honours echo similar marks of distinction awarded by Red Dot and the IYAA for the innovative interior of the extra widebody Falcon 6X.

The first of the ultra-efficient Pearl 10X engines that will power the 10X recently ran on a test stand at Rolls-Royce’s Dahlewitz, Germany facility, surpassing its target thrust level on the first run. Already, Rolls-Royce has accomplished 1,000 hours of testing on the 18,000 pound-plus thrust engine, including runs on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel. The Pearl 10X will be certified for 100 per cent SAF.

Other test highlights include installation of a multi-system integration bench, complete with subsystem computers, at Dassault’s Istres flight test facility near Marseille. This multi-system bench, along with individual benches for fuel systems, electrical systems, hydraulics and flight controls, will serve to ensure that all systems are fully tested and mature when the 10X takes to the sky.

Certification and entry into service is anticipated in late 2025.