They say a little goes a long way, and this is exactly what Dassault accomplishes with the Falcon 8X. Building on the success of the 7X, the newer model looks to make a difference by adding just 43 inches of fuselage length – but how much does this really alter the experience?

The differences aren’t just noticeable for those with a sharp eye and a trusty tape measure. As soon as you step into the cabin of a Falcon 8X you’ll notice it is decidedly lighter than the 7X. This is due to the 16 windows which adorn the sides of the cabin, made possible thanks to the increased length of 80’3”. In fact, the cabin has so much natural light pouring in that it was decided the overhead skylight which has been so fundamental to the Falcon 5X was now surplus to requirements.

The little things have been taken care of too. New LED lights have customizable colors to alter the ambiance at will. A brand new HD entertainment system does justice to the latest films and music to make your journey that bit more enjoyable, and the seats themselves are more comfortable thanks to electrical assistance that lets you alter the position with ease. Cabin humidity has been bumped up by a solid 20%, and the design crew have clearly considered the appearance of the aircraft a lot; the cabin crew rest area can be converted into a closet when not needed, wrapping everything in the cabin into a neat little box.

The 8X is stretched to 42.6 ft. The aircraft has a range of 6,450 nm and routes such as New York to Dubai or Beijing to London can now be flown non-stop with more than ten people on board.

Given the extra fuselage, the newer and bigger 8X aircraft is of course, capable of carrying a slightly larger load. The new max take-off weight is 73,000 lb, representing a 3,000 lb increase on the 7X, whilst simultaneously the design team has managed to knock 600 lb off of the overall weight by adjusting the main wing and winglets. Despite having a reduced weight, the new winglets have an increased span of 86’3”. The three turbofans enjoy a 5% increase in take-off power, bringing the total up to 6,725 lb thrust.