Dassault invited a small group of journalists to join its flight test team and two company executives on the newly-certified 7X’s maiden flight.
Despite the fact s/n 03 is still a test machine and not yet fully outfitted, it was still incredibly comfortable - the most striking thing being the on board noise – or lack of it. The sound levels are around 52db. Pressurized to 6,000ft at 51,000ft, it’s possible to have a normal conversation without raising your voice. The aircraft sliced through the air and it took us no time at all to reach cruising altitude of 28,000ft.
The two test pilots were thoroughly enjoying their EASy cockpit and happy to show how it was impossible to conflict control signals, as the aircraft intuitively will not allow two sets of simultaneous data to counteract each other. There are five large display screens, where the pilots can call up in-flight information easily.
“I wouldn’t want to go back to old fashioned systems now,” insisted Yves Ker-Hervé, chief test pilot for the 7X programme. The cabin is bright with large windows and copious head and legroom. Our suitcases barely made a dent in the spacious baggage compartment, and we wandered round happily through most of the flight. After we landed, we only just noticed the 7X taxy back to the runway for her flight back. She was so quiet, we did not realize she was heading out – even on take-off. Incidentally, FEN achieved a minor 7X “first” of our own. Our reporter, Liz Moscrop, was the first female passenger to travel in the newly ticketed trijet.
Source: Flight Daily News
