When it comes to business jets, bigger is usually better. And though it's listed as still in production, the Dassault Falcon 7X is already one of the world's most popular business jets. The first display of Dassault's long-range business jet took place in 2005 at the Charles Lindbergh Hall at Dassault's Bordeaux Merignac aerospace production center.

The craft received its FAA and EASA certification in 2007, and entered service in June the same year. Over 200 orders have already been placed for the aircraft (exact numbers subject to change), and the price of ownership is set at over $40-millionUS.

The Falcon 7X is the latest member of the Falcon aircraft family. Though the family has an impressive resume, the 7X is built to outperform any previous business jet. It can fly faster, further, and higher than any of its predecessors. Dassault claims that the Falcon 7X is the world's first fly-by-wire business jet.

The fly-by-wire control technology is adapted from Dassault's fighter aircrafts. Its purpose is to add performance and safety benefits, including a precise flight-path control, automatic trim adjustment, and other basic functions such as autopilot via the sidestick control for setting heading and altitude.

The range of the 7X is 10,556km (5,700 nautical miles) while carrying eight passengers and four crew members. This allows the Falcon to fly non-stop from Paris to Tokyo, Riyadh to New York, or anywhere within the same distance. The craft has three engines and is unrestricted by ETOPS considerations across oceans.

The Falcon can fly at speeds above Mach 0.85 (647mph). The design of the plane itself is also cutting edge. The fin box is constructed from carbon, and the vertical stabilizer is lighter and stronger and even 205 larger than that of the Falcon 900EX.

Construction of the Falcon 7X is a little different than traditional aircrafts. It is the first aircraft to ever be developed in an entirely virtual environment. Dassault used product life cycle management software from other Dassault systems to piece this technology together. The virtual product development software will oversee the design, development, construction, assembly, systems integration, testing, and even maintenance.

The materials used in the building process are also high quality and cutting edge. The Honeywall EASy cockpit will reduce the pilot's workload and allow a more concentrated performance to ensure successful completion of the flight and also increase situational awareness. In the cockpit, there are four 13in x 10in flat-panel, HD, Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display monitors. Menu selection and data entry is easily carried out by using a simple cursor control.

The width of the passenger cabin is the same size as the Falcon 900EX (2.64m), however, the length is substantially increased to 11.91m from the baggage hold door to the third flight deck seat. The interior of the jet has been designed with complete comfort in mind. Since the 7X can fly 13 hours non-stop, it needs to have features such as noise reduction and acoustic controls, lounges, berthable passenger seats, and more.