A few days before the opening of the NBAA show, Dassault Aviation was informed by Safran Aircraft Engines that the Silvercrest engine for the in-development Falcon 5X has encountered a new problem during testing that might further delay the aircraft program.
Dassault test pilots have flown the 5X for 50 hours, beginning with the first flight on July 5, with preliminary "non-production" versions of the engines. During testing, the 5X reached 41,000 feet and Mach 0.85. “Pilot feedback on aircraft handling qualities has been extremely positive, with excellent system performance in all conditions of flight, and aerodynamic behavior has been exactly as predicted,” Dassault chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said on Monday at NBAA 2017.
The 5X entry into service had been rescheduled to 2020 due to earlier problems with the Silvercrest engine, but the new problem’s impact has yet to be determined. The program “will have to be postponed again,” he said. “It will take a few more weeks for measuring all the consequences of this very unfortunate issue and define an appropriate solution. We’re trying to fix the program with Safran and trying to keep all our options open. The problem is a serious one.”
“Recent testing in our flying testbed in San Antonio [Texas] does not completely meet our expectations,” said Cédric Goubet, executive vice president of Safran’s Commercial Engines Division. He explained that technical solutions for the problems from two years ago that originally delayed the 5X program have all been validated and incorporated into the design. The new problem has to do with responsiveness of the high-pressure compressor at high altitudes, he explained. “The compressor is a bit too slow to accelerate and decelerate. We have a good understanding of the issue. There are several families of solutions that we have to discuss with the customer. Safran is absolutely committed to delivering the right engine, and we will get there.”
Trappier went on to address questions about Dassault’s newest business jet program, about which he revealed few details. “Our design engineers are actively working on a new model,” he said, “and some of our partners are already getting involved in concept design.” What makes the new program significant is that it will be fully instantiated within the Dassault Systèmes 3D Experience digital design system, which incorporates all elements of a product, from design to manufacturing to product support.
“We are now entering a new era, one that emphasizes a fully collaborative development approach,” he explained. “One that streamlines information exchange between corporate divisions and between outside partners, ensuring that all participants are perfectly integrated into the project. Such an approach would be applied to all facets of activity, from concept studies, manufacturing, purchasing, and procurement to customer service, both at the subcontractor level and in-house, and combine financial and economic as well as technical data and even integrate the fourth dimension: time.”
Addressing the business aviation market, Trappier said, “The business aviation environment remains difficult, but there is room for some optimism, particularly in the U.S., Europe and Asia."
The U.S. and Europe are showing a mixed picture, with preowned business jet activity growing but new aircraft sales still soft. The market in Latin American is still slow while China is showing signs of increased activity. An encouraging sign was the recent order for a fourth maritime surveillance Falcon 2000 by the Japan Coast Guard. Declining inventories of used Falcon jets is also a positive sign, with a reduction of one-third to about 7 percent of the total fleet. “Prices, although still declining, held up better than those of our competitors,” he said.
Current Falcons continue to sell, and the Falcon 8X has been delivered into 14 countries, including four in Brazil. A recent improvement is demonstrated crosswind capability to 30 knots, with gusts to 40, as well as London City steep approach approval. Buyers of the 8X can now opt for a new exclusive package of popular options that include Ka-band satcom, FalconEye combined vision system, the FalconSphere II EFB and Gogo Avance L5 air-to-ground connectivity system. Dassault expects to obtain approval for EFVS-to-touchdown for the FalconEye system in 2019.
At the NBAA show, Dassault (Booth N6014, Static Display 19) is demonstrating its 3D immersive technology for customers to view and spec their new interiors.
