good-to-know
PW800: The trusty powerplant for business jets
The Dassault Falcon 6X, a new business jet powered by PW800 engines, is ready for takeoff.
02.2021 | author: Isabel Henrich | 2 mins reading time
author:
Isabel Henrich
studied political science and communications. At MTU, she coordinates the editorial process of AEROREPORT and is responsible for the conception and development of its content.
©Dassault Falcon
When the first Dassault Falcon 6X rolled out of the hangar in early December 2020, the business jet carried a PW800 engine either side of its fuselage. As the powerplants for the Gulfstream G500 and G600, PW800 family engines are no strangers to the business jet market. MTU holds a 15 percent share in the engine program, providing the high-pressure compressor and various stages of the low-pressure turbine—its flagship products. As a member of Pratt & Whitney’s innovative PurePower® family, the PW800 engine incorporates groundbreaking technological innovations and the same proven core technology as the Pratt & Whitney GTFTM engine family.
PW800
- 10,000 to 20,000 pound thrust class
- Double-digit percentage improvements in fuel consumption, environmental emissions, engine noise and operating costs
- Advanced materials and design technologies and improved aerodynamics
- Low-emissions TALONTM combustor: Low levels of unburned hydrocarbons and smoke
- Large access panels in the engine bypass ducts allow mechanics to quickly and efficiently access the engine core
- State-of-the-art cooling of the high-pressure turbine with active tip clearance control
- High-pressure compressor: High-stiffness design; cantilevered stages
- High-efficiency and low-maintenance single-piece fan: Improved noise and vibration characteristics
- MTU holds a 15 percent stake in the engine program. MTU’s workshare encompasses the high-pressure compressor (various stages) and the low-pressure turbine
Falcon 6X takes to the skies
©Dassault Falcon
The much anticipated maiden flight of the Falcon 6X finally took place on March 10, 2021 when the jet took to the skies above Dassault Aviation’s Mérignac plant near Bordeaux. During the two-and-a-half hour flight, the pilots tested the aircraft’s handling qualities, engine response and the behavior of key aircraft systems. Featuring the largest cabin in business aviation to date, the Falcon 6X will be the industry’s first purpose-built long-range business jet—and can fly nonstop from London to Hong Kong or Los Angeles to Moscow. On its maiden flight, the Falcon 6X reached a top speed of Mach 0.8 and an altitude of 12,192 meters. It is expected to enter service in 2022.
