Federal Aviation Administration
FAA orders cockpit fix for Dassault Falcon 7X slat failures
The final rule requires MAIC software changes and updated flight manual procedures after inboard slats failed to extend during landing without a cockpit warning. It takes effect July 9, 2026.
The FAA is requiring a software and manual update for certain Dassault Falcon 7X jets after a landing-phase slat failure did not trigger a crew warning. The agency says the fix is meant to protect lift margin and control on approach.
- A silent slat failure triggered the new FAA directive.
- Certain Falcon 7X airplanes need software and manual updates.
- The rule takes effect July 9, 2026.
- The FAA estimates up to $122,500 in fleetwide costs.
- The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring a software and manual fix for certain Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X airplanes, and the rule takes effect July 9, 2026
The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring a software and manual fix for certain Dassault Aviation Falcon 7X airplanes, and the rule takes effect July 9, 2026. The problem that triggered it was simple and unsettling: the inboard slats did not extend during landing, but the maintenance and avionics interface computer, or MAIC, and the crew alerting system, or CAS, did not give pilots a clear warning.
That matters because slats help an airplane make more lift at slower speeds. When they fail at the end of a flight and the cockpit does not immediately flag the problem, the crew can be left with less margin on approach and landing. The FAA says the new directive is meant to close that warning gap and give pilots better procedures for handling slat failures.
The price of the repair
The directive covers 25 airplanes on the U.S. registry. Operators are expected to spend up to 24 labor hours per aircraft to update the MAIC software and revise the airplane flight manual, or AFM. The FAA puts the cost at up to $4,900 per airplane, or as much as $122,500 across the fleet, though the manufacturer says some of that work may be covered under warranty.