Rolls-Royce begins serial production of Pearl 10X for Dassault Falcon 10X

Rolls-Royce has started series production of the Pearl 10X, the engine variant that will power the Dassault Falcon 10X. Work is underway at the company's Dalhewitz facility near Berlin, which Rolls-Royce describes as its centre of excellence for business aviation.

The production start comes as certification of the powerplant nears completion. According to the manufacturer, all certification tests are complete and final reports are being prepared for the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Four Pearl 10X engines are already fitted to aircraft in Dassault's Falcon 10X flight-test programme. The first prototype flew on 19 June, and a second aircraft followed on 24 September. Rolls-Royce said feedback on engine performance in the test campaign has been positive.

The Pearl 10X has logged 250 flight hours so far, including time on the company's Boeing 747-200 flying testbed, which has now been retired. Combined testing of the Pearl 10X and the Advance2 demonstrator it is based on amounts to about 5,000 hours. Rolls-Royce has not disclosed a precise thrust rating, saying only that the engine produces more than 18,250lbf (81kN).

Separately, the Pearl 700, which powers the Gulfstream G700 and G800, has passed 300 engines in service, up from just over 140 a year earlier. Those engines have accumulated more than 162,000 flight hours, and the fleet leader has passed 1,000 cycles, the company says. Around 400 Pearl 15 engines are also in service.