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In a positive sign for Dassault Aviation’s delayed Falcon 10X business jet program, Rolls-Royce announced today that the company has begun the flight test campaign of its Pearl 10X jet engines, which will power the jet when it arrives in 2027 — two years later than originally planned.
The announcement comes at a somewhat uncertain time for Dassault and its ultra-long-range, future flagship offering following the company’s March announcement that the jet’s entry into service would be delayed, citing supply chain and COVID-19 pandemic recovery concerns. The engine testing, which was originally slated to occur at the end of last year, is being conducted with one Pearl 10X engine mounted on Rolls-Royce’s Boeing 747 testbed aircraft.
However, the timeline for when the 10X engines will make it onto their intended aircraft is still unknown. When the program was launched in May 2021, Dassault aimed to have the 10X in operation in 2025. Today, assembly is slated to start in the second half of 2024 with deliveries in 2027, though Dassault hasn’t signaled specific timing for the start of flight testing.
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