Future Falcon business jets may use composite materials for their wings, but the fuselages will likely continue to be constructed from aluminum alloys. Speaking at a conference organized by the French Air and Space Academy in Paris in late November, Philippe Vautey, a Dassault senior expert in aerostructure technologies, outlined the company’s vision for Falcons that might enter service “four to eight years” from now. He would not clarify whether this includes the still-under-wraps Falcon SMS.
A 200-kilogram (440 pound) weight increase equates to a 2-percent gain in lift-to-drag ratio at the aerodynamic level and a 2-percent increase in specific fuel consumption for the engines, Vautey explained. Design engineers looking to save weight must consider three basic questions when choosing between composites and metal, according to Vautey: How much weight are we saving, if any? What are the maintenance costs? What are the production costs?
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