Rolls-Royce has begun flight testing of the Pearl 10X engine, which will be used in the Dassault Falcon 10X business jet.
A turbofan test unit was installed on the Boeing 747-200, which serves as the company’s test bench. The aircraft took off on March 18 with the new engine from the Rolls-Royce base in Tucson, Arizona.
It is the first time that a Rolls-Royce engine has powered a Dassault business aircraft. The manufacturer’s recent jets are equipped with turbofans supplied by Snecma and Pratt & Whitney.
The Pearl family also powers the Gulfstream G700, a rival to the Falcon 10X, which has just achieved type certification from the FAA.
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“We are excited to enter this important next phase of the engine development program with the start of our flight test campaign. All the tests completed to date confirm the reliability of the engine and show it will meet the performance requirements to power Dassault’s flagship, the Falcon 10X,” said Philipp Zeller, Senior Vice President Dassault, Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce.
Entry in service by 2027
The Pearl 10X engine has already accumulated more than 2,500 hours of ground testing, the company said. The power of the turbofan is not known but Rolls-Royce has stated that it exceeds 18,000 pounds.
The Falcon 10X will be Dassault’s largest business jet, with a range of 7,500 nautical miles (13,900 km).
With 33.4 meters in length, the aircraft will have the largest cross section ever offered in the business aviation market, with 2.03 m in height and 2.77 m in width.
Launched in 2021, the Falcon 10X was initially scheduled to enter service in 2025, but the program was delayed and the first deliveries are expected to take place in 2027.
