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Dassault Aviation has revealed its new flight planning tool, FalconWays, to allow Falcon pilots to choose the most fuel-efficient route and reduce excess fuel by using updated global wind data, optimization and performance model-specific algorithms. The new tool will be rolled out with the new Falcon 6X, set to enter into service in the coming weeks.FalconWays will be offered as a flight app on the Dassault FalconSphere iPad electronic flight bag and is compatible with Jeppesen and Universal flight planning tools. The tool was evaluated over a campaign of long flights between the U.S., Europe, across Asia and through simulations. During real flights, crews using FalconWays were able to reduce fuel consumption by up to seven percent.
"Our new FalconWays flight app is part of our company's broader commitment to sustainable flying" Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier said. "It will help Falcon customers reach a new level of operational efficiency while reducing aviation emission levels."RELATED STORY:Falcon 6X receives FAA, EASA certification
With the new application, pilots can download worldwide wind information and combine it with imported operational flight plans, in-house performance tools as well as vertical, lateral and mach number optimization to recompute the flight plan. Falcons equipped with SATCOM are able to update the database en route while on long flights to further optimize trajectory. Both vertical and lateral trajectory optimization can be used before or during the flight.
Dassault is releasing FalconWays on the new Falcon 6X extra widebody twinjet, which is set to enter service in the coming weeks. The app will be available on the Falcon 8X in early 2024, on the 7X before the end of 2023 and on the Falcon 2000LXS/S by early 2025.
FalconWays is a pilot-dedicated app and was designed in-house by Dassault engineering and flight operations teams. Through the Dassault team's efforts, seven patents have been generated, thus leading to the creation of many advanced algorithms to improve flight efficiency. The new app will be used across the Falcon fleet and bring with it fuel savings.
The app will be released on the new Falcon 6X, which was issued EASA type certification on Aug. 22. This certification followed an over two-year-long test campaign with 1,500 flight hours logged globally. This is a huge step in the journey to enter the 6X into service as the first units are undergoing final completion. The 6X is expected to enter into service by the end of 2023.