Dassault Aviation says it completed the first flight of its long-range Falcon 8X.

The eight-passenger, three-crew-member plane lifted off from the company’s Mérignac plant in France, leveled off at 5,000 feet and raised its landing gear at 15,000 feet prior to flight handling maneuvers and system tests.

Dassault says it is on track to receive certification for the Falcon 8X in mid-2016, with plans to start deliveries beginning in the second half of 2016.

The Falcon 8X launched in December 2014 and is powered by a Pratt and Whitney Canada PW307 engine. It claims to offer 35% greater fuel efficiency than other aircraft in the ultra-long-range segment.

The company plans to test the second and third versions of this aircraft series in the coming months.

Each aircraft is required to complete 500 flight hours as part of the flight test program.

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