On June 19, 2026, Dassault announced that its newest executive jet, the Falcon 10X, had completed its maiden flight.
The type’s inaugural flight lasted for two hours and 30 minutes, with the Falcon 10X test aircraft (registration F-WNXT) taking off at 11.10am from Bordeaux-Mérignac (BOD), in southwestern France, where the French aircraft maker has its main industrial facilities.
The flight, with Dassault test pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dinechin and copilot Fabrice Dougnac in the cockpit, took the Falcon 10X to a height of up to 40,000 feet. The aircraft reached a speed of Mach 0.82 during the journey.
The Falcon 10X is a large ultra-long range executive jet, designed to compete with the Bombardier Global 7500 and 8000, as well as the Gulfstream G700 and G800 models.
Capable of carrying up to 19 passengers, the Falcon 10X has a maximum range of 7,500 nm (13,890 km) and is capable of achieving a peak operating speed of Mach 0.925.
This announcement comes barely three months after the public unveiling of the first Falcon 10X aircraft, on March 10, 2026.
The French manufacturer is readying two additional test aircraft to continue advancing towards the Falcon 10X certification, which is expected to take place sometime during 2027. Dassault is also targeting 2027 for the entry into service for its new flagship jet.