Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 8X bizjet — the French firm's future flagship — is entering the final stages of its flight test and certification programme as work proceeds to prepare the ultra-long range trijet for initial delivery. The three aircraft in the flight test programme have nearly completed all certification test requirements, and to date have accumulated over 650 flight hours in 325 flights.

After undergoing thermal, acoustic and cabin amenity testing at the Little Rock Completion Center, s/n 03, the first 8X equipped with a fully fitted interior, returned to the Istres Flight Test Centre near Marseille earlier this month to prepare for cold soak trials. Intended to demonstrate aircraft system functionality under extreme weather conditions, the soak trial campaign was conducted at Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, on the northwestern shore of Canada’s Hudson Bay, from 9th-11th March.

All systems, including avionics, electrical, hydraulic and digital flight control systems, performed flawlessly during the tests despite temperatures that dipped as low as -33°C. All cabin systems were successfully tested on ground after APU startup and cabin warm up. Full capability under extreme cold conditions was also demonstrated in flight at the end of the campaign.