Avionics
Falcon 7X fly-by-wire system progressing in simulator mode
Dassault pilots and engineers have been “flying” a Falcon 7X simulator since December at the French company’s Saint-Cloud headquarters near Paris.

Dassault pilots and engineers have been “flying” a Falcon 7X simulator since December at the French company’s Saint-Cloud headquarters near Paris. The Falcon simulation testbed (FST) has been built to develop the control laws of the new trijet’s fly-by-wire (FBW) system. Next year it will be fitted with all of the 7X’s control-related systems, Dassault technical managers told AIN. The Falcon 7X is scheduled to make its maiden flight in early 2005.

The FST made its first simulated flight on that most significant of dates for aviation–December 17. Test pilots Philippe Deleume and Yves “Bill” Kerhervé were at the controls. The FST allows full simulated flights, from takeoff to landing.