Dassault Falcon 900LX Flight Test Program enters into last phase

Dassault’s Falcon 900LX has entered the last phases of the flight test and certification program while completions on the first two customer aircraft have begun. Final certification is anticipated during the third quarter of 2010 with deliveries starting thereafter. The flight test program, which began in October of 2009, has accumulated 180 flight hours over 72 flights. Handling qualities of the airplane, take-off and landing performance, stalls at various speed configurations, flights in icing conditions, maximum operating speed, as well as simulated system failures have been tested extensively in addition to aircraft fuel consumption. The aircraft performed as expected and confirmed reductions in drag and higher climb performance over the Falcon 900EX EASy which it will replace.