Saint-Cloud, France, March 15, 2022 –
The Falcon 6X has completed cold weather testing, passing another major
milestone towards certification, expected later this year. The test
team of engineers consisting of technicians and pilots from Dassault
Aviation and engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada endured
bone-chilling temperatures as low as -37°C (-35° F) during the long
trial runs in Iqaluit, a tundra town in the far north of Canada.
“The
Falcon 6X continues to impress us with its performance and reliability
as we move through the certification process,” said Carlos Brana,
Dassault Aviation’s Executive Vice President of Civil Aircraft. “The
aircraft operated flawlessly at the extreme temperatures an aircraft can
be subjected to in the severest climate conditions. That includes
engines, systems and low-temperature maintainability
requirements.” During the arctic ground test campaign, the aircraft was
cold soaked for three successive nights and subjected to different start
sequences each morning. Teams then powered up the aircraft and
conducted engine ground runs and high-speed taxi tests. Ground tests
were followed by a test flight during which anti-icing systems and
handling qualities were checked and the stability of fuel and hydraulic
fluid temperatures verified while the aircraft remained in a holding
pattern flown at 10,000 feet.
These
tests, which were completed at the end February, followed an initial
series of cold weather tests in Iqaluit in December, when temperatures
dipped as low as -25°C (-13°F). The 6X endured a total of 50 hours of
Arctic cold tests and has now accumulated some 650 flight hours, and
completed over 220 flights.
Dassault
team members were ferried to Iqaluit aboard the 6X from the company’s
Istres test center in the south of France and reported that the cabin
was exceptionally quiet and comfortable with excellent connectivity en
route. Over Canada, they encountered spectacular views of the aurora
borealis, especially through the 6X’s unique skylight, a window
installed at the top of the galley area.
Be the first to comment on "Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 6X Successfully Completes Cold Soak Trials"