Give you an example – an aircraft without internet would be almost impossible to lease
From the workshops that once shaped fighter jets for the skies over Europe, Dassault now offers something quieter but no less ambitious: a civilian aircraft capable of carrying nineteen people from Auckland to Chicago without pause, at a price that places it firmly in the realm of corporate necessity rather than mere luxury. The Falcon 10X, expected to enter service by 2027, represents a century of military aerospace knowledge translated into the language of ultra-long-haul private travel. In a world where commercial aviation backlogs stretch into the trillions and connectivity has become the defining amenity of the skies, Dassault is betting that heritage, range, and reliability will matter more than novelty.
- The ultra-long-haul private jet market is intensifying, with Dassault, Gulfstream, and Bombardier all competing for a small but extraordinarily wealthy global clientele willing to spend upward of $153 million per aircraft.
- The Falcon 10X's 7,500 nautical mile range threatens to make non-stop private travel from New Zealand to Chicago, São Paulo, or Johannesburg a routine corporate option rather than a logistical feat.
- Dassault's military DNA — digital flight controls, enhanced weather vision, slat-equipped wings that allow landings at small regional airports like Taupō — gives it a technical edge that rivals built purely for civilian markets cannot easily replicate.
- The number one client demand is not luxury finishes but Wi-Fi, a signal that the Falcon 10X must function as a flying office as much as a premium cabin experience.
- With maiden flight imminent, deliveries projected for 2027, and Asia-Pacific identified as critical growth territory, Dassault is racing to convert regional inquiries into confirmed orders before competitors deepen their own backlogs.
Dassault's Falcon 10X is a twinjet capable of flying 7,500 nautical miles without refueling — enough to carry up to nineteen passengers from Auckland to Chicago or Rio de Janeiro in a single flight. Designed for ultra-wealthy individuals and corporations seeking to bypass commercial aviation entirely, it also targets the charter market, where management companies lease jets to clients on demand.
The cabin sets a new benchmark for purpose-built business jets: 2.03 meters tall and 2.77 meters wide, roughly 20 centimeters broader than its nearest rival. It can be arranged into five lounge zones, includes a full galley suited to 17-hour flights, and even accommodates a shower and rest space for relief pilots. From Auckland, the aircraft can reach Japan, India, Los Angeles, São Paulo, and Johannesburg non-stop.
Dassault's competitors — Gulfstream's G700 and G800, and Bombardier's Global 7500 and 8000 — operate at comparable speeds and ranges. What distinguishes the Falcon 10X is more than a century of military aircraft engineering applied directly to civilian design. Its aerodynamics, avionics, and digital flight controls all derive from Dassault's defense programs, including the Rafale fighter. The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engines capable of running on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel, and will feature a first-of-its-kind smart throttle controlling both engines through a single lever.
Assembled in Bordeaux and finished in the United States over eight to ten months, the Falcon 10X carries a unit price of approximately $153 million and a delivery window of 14 to 18 months — far shorter than the backlogs plaguing Boeing and Airbus. Maiden flight is expected soon, with entry into service projected for 2027.
Dassault already operates around 25 jets based in New Zealand and views Asia-Pacific as essential growth territory. Executives note that the top client request is not luxury fittings but reliable Wi-Fi — a reflection of how thoroughly business travel has merged with the need to remain connected. The aircraft's military heritage also delivers practical advantages: enhanced weather vision systems and wing slats that generate extra lift at lower speeds, allowing the Falcon 10X to land at smaller regional airports, including Taupō, even in wet conditions.
Local support is maintained through Execujet MRO Services in Auckland and Wellington. The road ahead involves managing supply chain pressures and geopolitical uncertainty, but for a company more than a century old, the formula remains unchanged: stay close to the market, keep the teams sharp, and let the aircraft speak for itself.
The new Dassault Falcon 10X is a twinjet that can fly 7,500 nautical miles without refueling—far enough to carry passengers from Auckland to Chicago or Rio de Janeiro in a single push. It seats up to 19 people and represents the French aerospace company's answer to a growing market of ultra-wealthy travelers and corporations willing to pay for speed, comfort, and the ability to avoid commercial aviation altogether.
For those who don't fly often enough to justify owning a private jet outright, the charter market offers an alternative. Aircraft management companies operate jets under different regulatory rules than private aviation, making them available for lease to clients who need them on demand. The Falcon 10X, with its range and capacity, is designed to appeal to both categories—owners and charter operators alike.
The aircraft's cabin is notably spacious: 2.03 meters tall and 2.77 meters wide, about 20 centimeters wider and 5 centimeters taller than its nearest competitor. Dassault says it will be the largest, most comfortable cabin in any purpose-built business jet. The interior can be configured in multiple ways, including five distinct lounge areas, a galley large enough to serve passengers on 17-hour flights, and even a shower. For flights that long, there's space for a third or fourth pilot to rest. From Auckland, the aircraft can reach Japan, India, and all of East Asia's major cities. Los Angeles and Chicago are within range to the northeast. South America's biggest hubs—São Paulo, Rio, Buenos Aires—are reachable. Johannesburg lies within reach across the Indian Ocean.
Dassault's competitive set is small but formidable. The Gulfstream G700 and G800, and Bombardier's Global 7500 and 8000, all operate at similar ranges and speeds exceeding Mach 0.9. Bombardier markets its Global 8000 as the world's fastest civilian aircraft since Concorde. What sets the Falcon 10X apart is its lineage. Dassault has been building fighter jets for over a century, and the company applies that military expertise directly to its civilian aircraft. The 10X's aerodynamics, materials, avionics, and flight controls all derive from Dassault's defense programs.
The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engines capable of running on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel. Assembly happens in Bordeaux, France, then the jet is flown to a completion center in the United States, where it spends eight to ten months being painted and finished to the customer's specifications. Dassault's delivery timeline is competitive: between 14 and 18 months depending on the model, far shorter than the backlogs facing Boeing and Airbus, which combined exceed 15,000 aircraft worth $2.1 trillion. The company had a backlog of 73 Falcon aircraft as of the end of last year, along with 220 Rafale fighter jets on order.
The Falcon 10X is expected to have its maiden flight soon, enter operation in 2027, and be in service toward the end of the decade. The unit price will likely be around $153 million. Dassault CEO Eric Trappier has said corporations will account for most projected sales. The company already operates about 25 private jets based in New Zealand, and executives see the Asia-Pacific region as crucial growth territory. Inquiries are coming in, though Dassault declined to name specific potential buyers.
One detail reveals what actually matters to people flying on private jets: connectivity. The number one request from clients isn't a gold-plated bathroom or caviar service. It's Wi-Fi. Satellite communication is so critical that charter aircraft without internet are nearly impossible to lease. Business travelers need to work in flight, to send emails, to stay reachable. The Falcon 10X will be equipped accordingly.
Dassault's military heritage also translates to practical advantages in harsh climates. The aircraft has enhanced and synthetic vision capabilities and can operate in bad weather—important for New Zealand's maritime climate and unpredictable conditions. The wings have slats that modify the aerodynamic profile, allowing the jet to generate more lift at lower speeds and use shorter runways than competitors. Dassault says the Falcon can land at Taupō, a small regional airport, even in wet conditions. The company also pioneered digital flight control systems in business aviation, technology it designed and manufactures entirely in-house, drawing from decades of fighter jet development. The 10X will feature a smart throttle—a single lever controlling two engines—the first of its kind in business aviation.
The company maintains local support across the region. Execujet MRO Services, Dassault's subsidiary in New Zealand, handles maintenance, repair, and overhaul. Technicians in Auckland and Wellington are trained on Falcon aircraft, including the newer 6X model, even though none are yet based in New Zealand or Australia. The biggest challenge ahead, according to Dassault executives, is navigating global political and economic uncertainty while managing supply chain constraints and ramping up production to meet demand. The strategy is simple: stay close to the market, maintain local teams, and keep improving service. For a company over a century old, that's proven to be a durable formula.
Notable Quotes
Satellite communication is extremely important. It's the number one priority for our clients.— Dassault executive
Our aircraft are able to land at Taupō, a very small airport, even in wet conditions. This is one of the reasons why we are able to sell a Falcon in New Zealand.— Dassault executive
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does a business jet need to be wider than its competitors? Isn't speed what matters?
Speed matters, but so does being able to work for 17 hours straight without losing your mind. A wider cabin means you can actually move around, stretch out, have a proper meeting. If you're paying $153 million for an aircraft, you want the cabin to feel like a boardroom, not a tube.
What's the military connection really about? Is it just marketing?
No. Dassault has been building fighter jets for over a hundred years. That means they understand aerodynamics, materials science, and reliability at a level most business jet makers don't. When an air force buys a jet, fuel efficiency and durability aren't luxuries—they're survival. That discipline carries over.
So why is satellite internet the number one request? That seems almost mundane.
Because these aren't vacations. These are executives who need to close deals, manage crises, stay in the loop. A charter aircraft without internet is essentially worthless to them. It's not about luxury—it's about not losing a day of work.
New Zealand seems like a small market for a $153 million aircraft. Why does Dassault care?
It's small, but it's strategic. New Zealand is a hub for Asia-Pacific business. And the geography is brutal—you need range. The Falcon 10X can do things other jets can't from this part of the world. That matters.
The military technology angle—digital flight controls, synthetic vision—how much of that is actually new?
The digital flight control system isn't new to Dassault; they pioneered it in business aviation back in the mid-2000s on the 7X. But most competitors still don't make their own. The Falcon 10X's smart throttle, though—that's genuinely first in its class. Single lever, two engines. Small thing, but it's the kind of refinement that comes from decades of military design.
What happens to the pilots? Does private aviation change how they work?
Completely. Airline pilots have rosters set weeks in advance. Private jet pilots might get a call at 6 p.m. to be wheels-up at 8. You don't know where you're going or when. But you do know your passengers—same people, over and over. It's more flexible, less predictable, but more personal.