Dassault Falcon 10X Business Jet Delayed Again

France's Dassault Aviation has officially postponed the delivery schedule of its new flagship business jet, the Falcon 10X, to customers. According to ixbt.com, the aircraft's first flights are now scheduled for 2029, which means a four-year delay from the previously planned timeframe and is causing serious discussion in the aviation market. This was reported by Ixbt.com reported. .

Originally, this modern liner model was intended to be released to the market by the end of 2025. However, although the initial deadline was moved to 2027, the program has now been pushed back by at least another two years. This situation marks the second major schedule change in the company's history and is explained by various external factors and complexities in the manufacturing process.

New Certification Requirements and Causes for Delay

Dassault Aviation CEO Éric Trappier explained that several serious factors caused the timeline extension. These include the consequences of the pandemic, continuous supply chain issues for components, and new regulatory procedures in civil aviation.

Following the Boeing 737 MAX tragedies, aircraft certification rules worldwide have become significantly stricter. According to Trappier, the Falcon 10X is considered a completely new type of aircraft and is being tested precisely under these updated and extremely rigorous requirements. As a result, this legal and technical process is taking much longer compared to the previous Falcon 6X model.

Technical Capabilities and Testing Process

Despite the difficulties, the Falcon 10X program continues its technical development phase. In particular, the first prototype of the Falcon 10X successfully took to the skies on June 19 of this year. Overall, four experimental aircraft are planned to participate in test flights to ensure the perfection of this aircraft.

The Falcon 10X is expected to be the largest and longest-range business jet in the company's history. The aircraft will be able to cover a distance of precisely 7,500 nautical miles (approximately 13,890 kilometers) without landing and will be capable of reaching a speed of 0.925 Mach.

Competitive Environment in the Market

The new business jet will have to compete in the global aviation market with strong rivals such as the Gulfstream G700, Gulfstream G800, and Bombardier Global 8000. However, consecutive delays could complicate the position of France's Dassault in the ultra-long-range aircraft segment.

While the French manufacturer is currently finalizing its tests, its main competitors have already begun delivering their latest modern models to customers.