FAA Certifies Falcon 6X's Pratt & Whitney Engine

The FAA has certified the PW812D turbofan engine that will power Dassault’s Falcon 6X, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced today. It’s the third aviation regulator to approve the P&WC engine variant.

“The engine has also been certified by Transport Canada and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency,” said P&WC president Maria Della Posta. “We successfully achieved this critical step by working closely with Dassault since the launch of the 6X program.”

FAA certification comes after P&WC completed some 6,100 hours of engine testing. That includes more than 1,150 hours of flight testing and 20,000 hours on the PW812D core, which is shared with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine that has flown more than 15 million hours since its 2016 launch.

In terms of environmental impact, the PW800 engine family offers double-digit improvement in fuel burn, emissions, and noise, according to P&WC. It also can fly on a 50 percent sustainable aviation fuel blend and requires 40 percent less scheduled maintenance and 20 percent fewer inspections than other engines in its class.

Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier noted that the milestone certification keeps the 6X on track for service entry in mid-2023. “Together, the PW812D engine and Falcon 6X aircraft are a winning combination, designed to set the bar in fuel efficiency, performance, and comfort,” he said.