Dassault Aviation obtained European Aviation Safety Agency and U.S.FAA approvals for use of its combined vision system, known as FalconEye, aboard the Falcon 2000S/LXS. The French manufacturer anticipates similar approvals for the Falcon 8X shortly.
Unveiled last year and offered as an option on both the 2000S/LXS and 8X, FalconEye is designed to raise situational awareness in a range of weather and operating conditions during day and night. The head-up display (HUD) system combines synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping and thermal and low-light camera images into a single view.
The system has a fourth-generation multi-sensor camera that provides high-definition images close to the clarity of a military FLIR. The camera displays a 30- by 40-degree field of view in synthetic vision mode to extend the viewing field and avoid tunnel vision.
Certification follows a two-year development effort involving both flight and simulator testing. Dassault plans to certify the system for dual-HUD configuration on the 8X. Dual approval is expected in 2018.
The feature has proved popular with 8X customers, with 90 percent opting for FalconEye.