Dassault Aviation’s developmental Falcon 6X completed cold-weather testing late last month, a significant milestone in the march toward certification, expected later this year.
The twin-engine business jet traveled from the manufacturer’s test center in Istres, in southern France, to the tundra town of Iqaluit in the far north of Canada. Encountering temperatures as low as -35 degrees F, technicians and pilots from Dassault and engine provider Pratt & Whitney Canada conducted trial runs, including three nights of cold soaking followed by a series of different engine-start sequences the following morning.
Carlos Brana, Dassault Aviation executive vice president of Civil Aircraft, said, “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.”
The teams also conducted engine ground runs and high-speed taxi trials, followed by a flight to test anti-icing systems and handling qualities as well as fuel and hydraulic fluid temperatures, which were verified in a 10,000-foot holding pattern.
Dassault reported: “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.”
