Dassault Falcon 7X
| Falcon 7X | |
|---|---|
 A Falcon 7X in Dassault colors |
|
| Type: | Business jet |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
May 5, 2005 |
| Commissioning: |
June 15, 2007 |
| Production time: |
In series production since 2007 |
| Number of pieces: |
250 (as of May 2014) |
The Falcon 7X (originally called the Falcon FNX ) is a business jet from the French manufacturer Dassault Aviation . The 7X is positioned as a competitor to the Gulfstream G550 from Gulfstream Aerospace and the Global Express XRS from Bombardier . The model's maiden flight took place on May 5, 2005, and the first machine was handed over to a customer on April 27, 2007. The 7X does not have much in common with the predecessors of the Falcon series, rather it is a largely new design. The technical innovations include, in particular, a fly-by-wire control system and fully computerized development .
history
The 7X project was presented to the public at the 2001 Paris Air Show under the preliminary development name Falcon FNX . In October of the same year, Dassault christened the new aircraft with the definitive name Falcon 7X . The rollout of the first prototype finally took place on February 15, 2005 , and on May 5 of the same year the first prototype took off for the first time from Bordeaux-Mérignac airport for 96 minutes with pilots Yves Kerherve and Philippe Deleume . Exactly one month later, the second prototype took off in Mérignac, shortly before a 7X was relocated to Le Bourget for the Paris Air Show on June 15 . The approval for the USA by the FAA and for Europe by the EASA followed on April 27, 2007. A total of four machines were used for the flight test and certification program. The first machine was delivered on June 15, 2007. By the end of 2009, Dassault had over 250 orders. On May 4, 2010, the 75th Falcon 7X was handed over to Saudia Private Aviation (SPA) - a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Airlines and the largest 7X operator - as part of the EBACE . To break even , Dassault must sell at least 300 machines.
After an incident on May 25, 2011 during the flight of a machine from Germany to Kuala Lumpur, in which the machine reared itself strongly during the approach to the destination airport due to an automatically triggered tail-heavy trim, but could still be landed safely, the machines of this type were The EASA's flight permit was withdrawn for a few weeks. The cause turned out to be a production error in one of the two tail control units (HSECU) that were replaced as part of a conversion campaign.
On July 9, 2012, the 200th machine was manufactured in the Bordeaux-Mérignac plant. At this point in time, 150 units had already been handed over to customers in 32 countries around the world, and 50 units were in the process of interior decoration. The 150 planes already in flight had completed 130,000 flight hours by then.
At the EBACE 2014 the stretched version of the 7X was presented as the Falcon 8X .
technology
Wings
The Falcon 7X has - as has been customary in civil aviation for decades - a low-wing design . After the wings of the Falcon 50 - the very first civilian supercritical wings - had proven so successful that they were adopted almost unchanged for the Falcon 900 and 2000 , the 7X received completely newly developed wings. On the one hand which was sweep markedly increased and on the other hand, the elongation increased from 7.6 to 9.72. However, the blended winglets make a below-average contribution to the latter , as they were only added in the course of development. It would have been possible to further increase the aspect ratio and efficiency with larger winglets, but this would have made it necessary to reinforce the wing structure due to the subsequent planning, which would have significantly increased the weight and the development time. Like the wings of the Falcon 50, the wings have a kink in the leading edge of the wing. Both arrows have been increased significantly by 5 ° compared to the initial design, the inner arrows now being 34 ° and the outer arrows being 30 °. Both the increased elongation and the higher sweep lower the induced drag and thus enable higher speeds and efficiency. The improved profile of the wings, which are now thicker at the root but thinner at the end, also contributes to the efficiency. By the bend in the wing leading edge slat (slats) over the entire span slotted flaps (slotted flaps) and the enlarged to 44% of wing surface - what was achieved despite the high reached extension - has the buoyancy to be increased significantly at low speeds. This should be able to preserve the good slow flight, take-off and landing properties of the previous Falcons. Dassault himself describes the new wings as the most important innovation in the Falcon series for 30 years. Overall, the wings should be 30% more efficient than the previous model, which is why the same construction will also be used in future Falcon models.
Engines
With the Falcon 50, Dassault introduced the three-jet design, which is unique for business jets , in the 1970s and has since continued this tradition with every new top model - the Falcon 900 in the 1980s and now the Falcon 7X. The middle engine is designed as a so-called S-duct, the air inlet being arranged centrally above the fuselage and then leading in an S-shape to the engine located in the rear of the fuselage.
When Dassault introduced the Falcon 50 in the 1970s, twin-engine aircraft had to fly without exception on routes that ran in the vicinity of suitable alternative airports, while these restrictions had been lifted for three-jet aircraft in 1964. With the three-jet design, it was possible to fly on faster and more economical routes. Even today, business jets are generally not certified by the FAA from ETOPS (so they still have to fly "close" to alternative airports), while EASA now issues ETOPS certifications for business jets and these are therefore allowed to fly with two engines on optimized routes . Nevertheless, three-jet engines still have advantages today, be it the slightly higher safety, the shorter take-off distances under hot-and-high conditions or the better climbing performance. On the other hand, the weight and fuel consumption tend to be higher, and the third engine represents additional maintenance.
The 7X uses three PW307A turbofan engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada - a subsidiary of the US company Pratt & Whitney - each delivering 28.48 kN (6,402 lb f ) of thrust. This enables a maximum speed of Mach 0.90 to be achieved in level flight, which corresponds to about 970 km / h. In the train tilting flight speed of Mach 0.93 was reached during the flight tests. The typical cruising speed is Mach 0.85, the long-distance cruising speed is Mach 0.80. With the latter, with eleven people on board (three crew, eight guests) under IFR reserves according to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), a range of 11,020 km (5,950 nm) can be achieved. Originally, the range should have been around 460 km (250 nm) lower, but the range could be increased through the subsequent planning of winglets and additional fuel tanks. With the very high speeds, Dassault is catching up with the front runners in this field - the Cessna Citation X and the Gulfstream G650 . However, the two competing models are not directly comparable, as the Citation X is several classes lower in terms of range and size. In terms of range, the 7X only has to admit defeat to the Gulfstream G550 and the Bombardier Global XRS, the G650 exceeds the 7X by a maximum of 2,880 km, depending on the version.
Each of the three engines is supplied by its own set of fuel tanks. The capacity of the two outer sets is identical, while the inner one holds a little more fuel in order to be able to supply the APU (see below ). The total fuel capacity is around 14,500 kg, which is around 1,360 kg more than was intended for the originally planned lower range. Each of the three sets of fuel tanks has two pumps driven by a brushless DC motor, with one pump being a reserve for the failure of the other pump.
Electricity and hydraulics
A brushless DC generator is part of every engine to provide power on board . In order not to have to run the engines on the ground in a fuel-intensive manner and in order not to be dependent on an external power supply, all 7X also have an auxiliary power unit (APU) of the GTCP 36-150F2M type from Honeywell International . Due to the very high dependency of the fly-by-wire control on the power supply (see below ), the 7X has several emergency power supplies. On engines 1 and 2, in addition to the main generators, there is also a permanently excited direct current generator as an emergency power source and two lead-acid batteries . The 7X is the first Dassault business jet to have a Ram Air Turbine (RAT), which would supply the most important functions of the aircraft with power if all five generators fail.
The hydraulic system of the 7X is unlike previous aircraft, the Falcon series of three cycles, called A , B and C . Each circuit is driven by an engine-driven pump, and a fourth (electrically operated) pump is available for emergencies. The main pumps generate 3,000 psi (207 bar) each, and the emergency pump generates 2,800 psi (193 bar). The hydraulic fluid used is of type MIL-H-5606.
cabin
The cabin of the 7X has the fuselage cross-section that Dassault introduced with the Falcon 900 and also used for the Falcon 2000. The height of 1.88 m corresponds to continuous headroom, and the width of 2.35 m is one of the largest among business jets. The length of the cabin has been extended by around 1.8 m to 11.91 m compared to the Falcon 900. The volume of the cabin is 43.96 m 3 and is supplemented by a further 4.4 m 3 of space for luggage. With tight seating, up to 19 people can be transported, but not more than eight to fourteen people are common, depending on the operator. The cabin pressure is normalized to that which prevails at 6,000 feet (1,830 m), which means that the altitude equivalence is a quarter lower than what was usual in the industry when the Falcon was introduced. The cabin is also equipped with a three-zone air conditioning system, with the cockpit, the front and the rear part of the cabin each representing a zone. Compared to the Falcon 900, the number of windows has been increased from 12 to 14, with the window area increasing by 40% due to larger windows. In addition, the windows were positioned a little higher in the fuselage, which should allow a better view. Compared to the Falcon 900, due to the quieter engines and improved noise insulation, the noise level has been reduced considerably by 4 dB SIL to 50 to 52 dB SIL, which corresponds to a reduction of around 50% due to the logarithmic scale of the unit decibel . According to NetJets, the 7X has the quietest cabin of all long-haul jets. Depending on the customer's requirements, one or two toilets and a kitchen can be installed. The connections required for this (especially for water) are available both at the end and at the beginning of the cabin. The size of the aircraft makes it possible to provide a separate rest area for the crew.
The actual interior design is manufactured individually for each individual customer and can also be carried out by third-party providers. The largest operator, Saudia Private Aviation, had its 7X fitted out at Jet Aviation in Basel . The interior and paintwork for NetJets Europe was designed by Norman Foster , and at EBACE 2009 in Geneva, Dassault presented a new interior designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA - a subsidiary of BMW .
Cockpit and avionics
The 7X is the first business jet to be controlled entirely using fly-by-wire technology (FBW). The FBW system of the 7X does not permit any flight maneuvers that would endanger the aircraft (for example through a stall), which results in increased safety. The fully digital system also takes on tasks that previously had to be carried out manually by the pilots, such as trimming , which reduces their workload. Compared to the Airbus models, which are also controlled by FBW, the 7X system allows greater maneuverability. Specifically, the programming allows a load of up to 3.5 g instead of the 2.5 g for Airbus machines, and the roll rate limited by Airbus to a maximum of 15 ° / s is limited only by the aerodynamics of the 7X. Further restrictions imposed by the FBW are a maximum pitch angle of + 45 ° or −20 °.
The cockpit is equipped with the EASy avionics suite , which was jointly developed by Dassault and Honeywell on the basis of the Honeywell Primus II Epic and is used in all current Dassault business jets. For the future, both companies are currently developing the successor EASy 2 . The central element of the EASy are four colored active matrix liquid crystal displays with a diagonal of 16.4 in or 42 cm. The two pilots each have one of these displays available as a so-called Primary Flight Display (PFD), which is mainly used for "tactical" information such as flight data. The other two displays, called multifunctional displays, are arranged in the middle and show “strategic” information such as the flight route. The pilots also benefit from the FBW system, which not only relieves them of individual tasks that are now carried out automatically, but it the classic control horns also disappear . The control inputs are now made via two - the one for the pilot on the left and the one for the copilot on the right - so-called sidesticks , a kind of joystick . From these, the control commands are transmitted to the flight computer and on to the control surfaces. These are no longer moved by mechanically operated hydraulics , but by brushless DC motors .
The heart of the FBW system of the 7X are three digital two-channel flight computers (Main Flight Computer, MFC), of which only one is required for normal flight operations. In the event of a failure, the second MFC and eventually the third MFC would take over. If all three MFC were to fail, the flight control would be taken over by three digital single-channel flight computers (Secondary Flight Computer, SFC), which monitor each other. If the SFC were to fail too, a final backup computer would still be available with which the aircraft could still be safely controlled. In the event that this should also fail, the 7X could finally still be controlled manually.
To Avionikaustattung also one of dual-deliberate Flight Management System (FMS), a two-fold out deliberate one Inertial Navigation System , two 24-channel GPS receiver , a weather radar type Primus 880 , ground collision warning system of the new generation (enhanced ground proximity warning system, EGPWS) and a radar altimeter . Four redundant flight data computers and four associated SmartProbe sensors are also installed. These sensors, supplied by Goodrich, measure the angle of attack, sideslip angle, static pressure and pitot pressure . Together with four temperature sensors, the flight data computers can use this to calculate all other relevant data such as altitude and speed. A satellite communication system is also available as an option. Head-up displays (HUD) for the cockpit crew from Rockwell Collins are also optionally available .
production
A large number of suppliers are involved in the construction of the 7X, some of whom not only produce specialized individual parts, but also entire fuselage segments. The tailplane comes from EADS CASA , Latécoère is supplying the tail section of the fuselage, Socata is responsible for the upper middle section and the fuselage fairings , Stork-Fokker manufactures the control surfaces on the trailing edge of the fuselage, Leonardo and Safran supply the engine nacelles and the thrust reversers through their subsidiaries Aermacchi and AirCelle, respectively to, and Saint Gobain Sully was commissioned to build the cockpit and cabin windows. Safran supplies the chassis and brakes through another subsidiary, Safra Landing Systems .
Dassault himself brings all of his works into the production of the 7X. The undersides and tops of the wings are manufactured in Seclin , while the wings are assembled in Martignas-sur-Jalle . The nose section of the hull is manufactured in Argenteuil , the assembly of the hull takes place in Biarritz and the final assembly of the machines is carried out in Bordeaux-Mérignac. The interior is finally finished in the Dassault plant in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA , unless the customer has chosen their own interior designer (see also above ).
What is special about the production of the 7X is the completely paperless development in the CAD program CATIA developed by Dassault . This enabled an earlier and better integration of the suppliers, a complete abandonment of paper and a reduction of the necessary models. Another peculiarity is the production of the middle section of the fuselage in two halves instead of the usual tubular shape. On the one hand, this enables the simpler upper half to be outsourced to a supplier, while the production of the more complex lower half with the tanks remains with Dassault, and on the other hand, the work processes during assembly can be made more efficient. Dassault claims to have reduced the assembly time of the 7X by around 50% compared to a Falcon 900.
Users
Volkswagen Airservice operates a. a. six Falcon 7X.
The largest operator with four 7Xs and three options on order to date is Saudia Private Aviation (SPA), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Airlines . Another operator is NetJets Europe , which has so far taken over two machines. The first state operator is the Russian state airline Rossija , which operates a Falcon 7X in VIP configuration on behalf of the Russian government. Prince Albert II of Monaco owns a Falcon 7X as the official aircraft of the royal family. In addition, the Falcon 7X is used by Namibia as one of two government aircraft.
Technical specifications
| Characteristics | Falcon 7X |
|---|---|
| crew | 2-3 pilots |
| Passengers | up to 19 |
| length | 23.19 m (76 ft 1 in ) |
| span | 26.21 m (86 ft) |
| height | 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in) |
| Cabin length | 11.91 m |
| Cabin height | 1.88 m |
| Cabin width | 2.35 m |
| Cabin volume | 43.96 m³ |
| Luggage room | 4.4 m³ |
| Wing area | 70.7 m 2 (761 ft 2 ) |
| Wing extension | 9.72 |
| Wing swept | 34 ° (inside) / 30 ° (outside) |
| Max. Takeoff mass | 31,300 kg (69,000 lb ) optional 31,750 kg (70,000 lb) |
| Top speed | Mach 0.90 (970 km / h) |
| Typical cruising speed | Mach 0.85 |
| Long distance travel speed | Do 0.80 |
| Landing speed | 190 km / h |
| Takeoff route | 1,678 m (5,505 ft) |
| Landing route | 689.5 m (2,262 ft) |
| Altitude | 14,935 m (49,000 ft) |
| Service ceiling | 15,545 m (51,000 ft) |
| Range | 11,020 km (5,950 nm ) |
| Engines | 3 Pratt & Whitney PW307A |
| Start thrust | 28.48 kN (6,402 lb f ) each |
| price | approximately $ 41 million |
Comparable aircraft
Direct competitors of the 7X are the Gulfstream G550 and, since 2012, the Gulfstream G650 from Gulfstream Aerospace and the Global Express XRS from Bombardier , which offer a similar amount of space, a similar speed and a similar range. Indirect competitors are the cheaper Gulfstream G500 and Bombardier Global 5000 models derived from it, which achieve significantly lower ranges with the same amount of space. In terms of range and space in the same league as the 7X, the Gulfstream V also plays , but is no longer in production. In addition, there are a large number of distant indirect competitors such as the similarly large, but poor-range and slower Legacy 650 from Embraer , the very large, but still quite poor-range and slower Embraer Lineage 1000 or the even larger and with a range similar to the 7X-equipped Boeing 737 Business Jet and Airbus A319 Corporate Jetliner .
See also
literature
- J. Moxon: French Revolution. In: Flight International , June 2005, pp. 9–99.
- C. Müller: Airplanes of the World 2010. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-613-03174-6 .
Web links
- Type page from Dassault
- Type certification of the FALCON 7X - EASA-TCDS-A.155 (PDF; 44 kB)
- Description on aerospace-technology.com
- Flight report on aviationweek.com
- Le Bourget 2011 (French, 8 min)
- Aerostructures for the Dassault Falcon on leonardocompany.com (engl.)
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.dassaultfalcon.com/images/show_doc.pdf?DOCNUM=30048
- ↑ Müller, 2010, p. 133
- ↑ http://www.flugrevue.de/de/zivilluftfahrt/fluggeraete/dassault-liefert-75-falcon-7x-an-kunden.22425.htm
- ↑ FlugRevue August 2011, p. 43, Falcon 7X is allowed to fly again
- ↑ dassaultfalcon.com: 200th Falcon 7X Enters Completion Featuring a Host of New Customer Options , July 9, 2012
- ↑ dassaultfalcon.com: type information on the website of Dassault
- ↑ www.netjetseurope.com: Dassault Falcon 7X fact sheet ( Memento of the original from March 10, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 806 kB)
- ↑ http://www.archicentral.com/netjets-7x-fleet-by-norman-foster-5733/
- ^ V. Thomalla: EBACE 2009 in Geneva - Business Aviation shows strength. In: FlugRevue. July 2009, pp. 36-40.
- ↑ airframes.org: AIRFRAMES.ORG - Aircraft Database - airline WGT fleet. In: www.airframes.org. Retrieved May 10, 2016 .
- ↑ luxury plane: Prince Albert's new toy. Retrieved March 5, 2013 .
- ↑ Falcon 7X Specs ( Memento from January 14, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Falcon 7X Performance ( Memento from December 29, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Falcon 7X Engines ( Memento from January 14, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ www.flightglobal.com ( Memento from September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Kelley Malcher: Onboard the 7X ...
