Dassault Aviation has unveiled a new flight planning tool that allows Falcon pilots to select the most fuel efficient route and reduce excess fuel carried using updated global wind data, optimisation and performance model-specific algorithms.

FalconWays will be offered as a flight app on Dassault's FalconSphere iPad electronic flight bag and is compatible with Jeppesen and Universal flight planning tools. FalconWays was evaluated over a campaign of long flights between the US and Europe and across Asia, as well as in numerous simulations. During actual flights using FalconWays, crews were able to reduce fuel consumption up to seven per cent.

“Our new FalconWays flight app is part our company's broader commitment to sustainable flying,” says chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “It will help Falcon customers reach a new level of operational efficiency while reducing aviation emission levels.”

The application allows pilots to download worldwide wind information and combine it with imported operational flight plans, in-house performance tools and vertical, lateral and mach number optimisation data in order to recompute the flight plan. Falcons equipped with satcom can update the database en-route on long flights to further optimise the trajectory. Vertical and lateral trajectory optimisation can be carried out before or during the flight.

The company will first roll out FalconWays on the Falcon 6X extra-widebody twinjet, set to enter service in the coming weeks. The app will be available on the Falcon 8X early next year, on the 7X before the end of 2024 and the Falcon 2000LXS/S by early 2025.

FalconWays is a pilot dedicated application, designed in-house by Dassault's engineering and flight operations teams. Their efforts have generated seven patents and led to the creation of a number of advanced algorithms for improving flight efficiency. Implemented across the Falcon fleet, the app will permit significant fuel savings and thousands of tons of CO2. It will be demonstrated on the Dassault static display at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition later this month.