On 4 April, at le Bourget Airport, France, the first Falcon 8X, incorporating a superb cabin layout, took-off for New York, just a few minutes after our tour of the interior. Eric Trappier, head of Dassault Aviation, was on the flight that begins the one-month’s operational tests phase.
As explained by the Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, "It is to verify that the plane’s cabin layout conforms fully with its requirements, and to show it to potential customers".
After a tour of the US, the Falcon 8X will head down to Mexico, Brazil, then on to China, the Middle East, and finally back to Europe.
The main advantage of the new jet from Dassault Aviation is its range of nearly 7,400 miles (12,000 km). We were able to take a look for ourselves at its spacious cabin, of over 100 square feet (30 m2) floor area, incorporating spacious seating and even a large leather sofa. For their more demanding 8X customers, Dassault Aviation offers 30 different cabin configurations.
Delivery of the first aircraft will be at the end of this summer - ahead of schedule. Catalogue price for the, up to 19-seater French tri-jet, stands at $ 55 million.
