Matt Thurber, editor-in-chief at AIN Media Group, has been flying since 1975 and writing about aviation since 1978 and now has the best job in the world, running editorial operations for Aviation International News, Business Jet Traveler, and FutureFlight.aero. In addition to working as an A&amp;P mechanic on everything from Piper Cubs to turboprops, Matt taught flying at his father’s flight school in Plymouth, Mass., in the early 1980s, flew for an aircraft owner/pilot, and for two summer seasons hunted swordfish near the George’s Banks off the East Coast from a Piper Super Cub. An ATP certificated fixed-wing pilot and CFII and commercial helicopter pilot, Matt is type-rated in the Citation 500 and Gulfstream V/550. Based in the Pacific Northwest, Matt and his team cover the entire aviation scene including business aircraft, helicopters, avionics, safety, manufacturing, charter, fractionals, technology, air transport, advanced air mobility, defense, and other subjects of interest to AIN, BJT, and FutureFlight readers.

Editor-in-Chief

Matt Thurber

When Dassault announced the Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PW812D-powered Falcon 6X in late February, chairman and CEO Eric Trappier explained that the company had been developing a Plan B for the now-canceled Falcon 5X when its Safran Silvercrest engine began experiencing problems with its high-pressure compressor.
Switching to the P&amp;WC engine results in a thrust increase for the new large-cabin Falcon, to 13,000-to-14,000 pounds of thrust, versus 11,450 pounds with the Silvercrest. The PW812D has a 44-inch single-piece fan and 4.5:1 to 5:1 bypass ratio. Specific fuel consumption of PW800s is some 10 percent less than that of current in-service engines, according to P&amp;WC. UTC Aerospace Systems (UTAS) will supply the nacelle system for the 6X, including an inlet, fan cowls, thrust reverser and an engine build-up system.
To accommodate the higher-weight P&amp;WC engines and associated systems, the new twinjet will have a 20-inch-larger cabin to keep the 6X within its center of gravity. This enables either a larger aft lounge area or a choice of&nbsp;larger&nbsp;forward galley or a crew rest area. The cabin features large windows and skylight, retained from the 5X design. Cabin height will be 78 inches, and the baggage compartment will be 155 cubic feet.
Aerodynamically, the 6X carries forward the 5X's flaperons and with the control surfaces working in tandem, lift-over-drag augmentation improves steep approach visibility, control, and comfort.
The 6X's mtow&nbsp;will be 77,460 pounds, for a ratio of 85&nbsp;percent of maximum landing weight to maximum takeoff weight, which allows a short hop and then an unrefueled 3,600-nm trip. It will also have a 300-nm range increase over the 5X—to 5,500 nm—and first deliveries are scheduled for 2022. The extra fuel required for the additional range caused Dassault to switch to a nitrogen-based fuel pressurization system, a first for a business jet.
On the flight deck, the 6X features Honeywell-based EASy 3 avionics, with the Honeywell IntuVue RDR-4000 radar and FalconEye combined vision head-up display. FalconSphere II electronic flight bags will be integrated into the front instrument panel.
Price of the 6X will be about the same as the 5X: $47 million (2018 $), said Dassault (Booth Z89, SD3). Flight testing is expected to begin in early 2021, with entry into service planned in 2022.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

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News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

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News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

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