FAA targets sliding seats on four Falcon models with new inspection rule

The FAA has proposed a new airworthiness directive covering the Dassault Falcon 6X, Falcon 7X, and certain Falcon 900EX and 2000EX airplanes, after reports surfaced of passenger seats sliding on their own, with no passenger input at all. Investigators traced the cause to ring brakes and ring brake housings sitting outside their allowed adjustment tolerances, which let the seats fail to lock in place. The FAA is proposing the rule to close that gap before it leads to injury during a critical phase of flight. What's actually wrong with the seats The proposed rule, filed under Docket No. FAA-2026-8805, adopts an existing EASA directive from June 2025 rather than starting from scratch. It calls for a one-time inspection of each affected seat, checking whether either ring brake assembly fails to lock the seat during a functional test, or whether the mechanical assembly is holding incorrect tension. Where a discrepancy turns up, the fix runs through realigning the ring brake housing, replacing the brake assembly if needed, and adjusting tension in the mechanical assembly. Until a seat passes inspection or gets corrected, the rule also blocks it from being installed at all. What it costs, seat by seat The FAA's own cost table gives owners a real number to plan around. The inspection itself runs three work hours at $85 an hour, or $255 per seat, with no parts cost attached. If a seat fails and needs the full repair, the cost jumps to four work hours plus $6,727 in parts, totaling $7,067 per seat. Since a Falcon can carry up to 19 passenger seats, the FAA estimates the inspection alone could run as high as $717,060 across the 148 U.S.-registered airplanes affected, before a single repair is counted. Worth noting, the FAA adds that Dassault says some or all of these costs may be covered under warranty, which could soften the number considerably for newer aircraft still inside that window. What happens next This is still a proposed rule, not a final one. The FAA is accepting public comments through October 29, 2026, and the final compliance timeline will follow once that window closes. Owners and operators of any affected model have a real window right now to weigh in before the requirement locks into place. Why it matters A seat that can slide mid-flight is a safety issue first and a cost issue second. This AD treats it that way, moving straight from a passenger-safety report to a mandatory inspection across four widely flown Falcon models. For anyone with one of these aircraft, the per-seat math is worth doing now rather than after a final rule ships. Inspecting a fully loaded 19-seat cabin runs around $4,845 at the base rate, but if even a handful of seats need full repairs, that number climbs quickly toward six figures. Whether you're flying the aircraft, maintaining it, or pricing one for sale this fall, this is a cost line worth having an answer for before someone asks. Browse current Falcon jets for sale on GlobalAir.com.