For anyone who's ever looked at a private jet and thought, "Yes, but is it extra enough?" Dassault Aviation has an answer. Their new Falcon 10X business jet just completed its maiden flight, soaring to 40,000 feet at a cool Mach 0.82. Which, if you think about it, is both impressive and slightly terrifying if you're stuck in economy on a commercial flight right now.
The two-and-a-half-hour test flight took off from Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in France, with test pilot Sébastien Dupont de Dinechin and copilot Fabrice Dougnac at the controls. Apparently, the jet performed exactly as planned, which is always reassuring when you're hurtling through the sky in a multi-million-dollar aluminum tube.
This isn't just a joyride; it kicks off the Falcon 10X's flight-test program, a crucial step in making it one of the most advanced, and spacious, ultra-long-range business jets on the planet. Because what's the point of flying private if you can't also stretch out in what's basically a flying penthouse?
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Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier called the flight an "important milestone," praising the thousands of employees and suppliers who've been toiling away for years. And for good reason: the company is making a bold claim, stating they're the only aircraft maker flying an entirely new aircraft type in 2026. Let that sink in. Everyone else is apparently just tinkering with existing models while Dassault is out here reinventing the wheel, but for millionaires.
The flight-test program is about to get busy. A second test aircraft is already prepped, and a third, complete with a full interior (because even test pilots deserve a little luxury, apparently), will soon join the fleet to check out all those plush cabin features and reliability. The goal? To set new standards in business aviation. Which, translated, means making sure you can get from New York to Tokyo without ever feeling like you've left your living room.
With over a century of aerospace experience and more than 10,000 aircraft delivered, Dassault knows a thing or two about making things fly. The Falcon 10X's successful first flight isn't just a new chapter for the company; it's a very fast, very high-flying step towards a future where intercontinental travel is less about the journey and more about the incredibly comfortable, quiet arrival.
