Dassault Aviation is studying aerodynamic changes to extend the range to its new Falcon 7X business jet, including winglets, before locking down the aircraft’s design early next year. The modifications are being evaluated as flight testing passes the 300h mark – a quarter of the way to certification.
The 7X has a design range of 10,550km (5,700nm), but the French manufacturer says it has received several requests to raise this slightly to increase the transatlantic city-pair combinations possible with the aircraft.
Charles Edelstenne, chairman and chief executive, says the company is in “the final stages of validating some design changes” that could see the range increase to 11,100km. “The final figure depends on some configuration choices,” he adds.
Winglets, never before used on a Dassault aircraft, have been refined over two years and are being flight tested on the first 7X. Olivier Villa, senior vice-president for civil programmes, says there are several modifications under evaluation which will be validated within weeks, after which time customers will be asked whether they want the changes to be incorporated into the aircraft.
Villa says winglets have advantages and disadvantages. “Each time you gain and lose something; you get a benefit early in cruise, but lose it when you become lighter,” he says.
Dassault built provisions for winglets into the original wing design, he adds. If the company goes ahead with adding winglets, the decision would be taken by the end of the year and they would be standard on the production aircraft.
Source: Flight International
