Dassault's new private jet gets special rules for its joystick controls

The US aviation regulator has created new safety rules for Dassault Aviation's Falcon 10X airplane. This jet uses a single-hand electronic joystick instead of a traditional steering wheel, a design not covered by existing regulations.

For decades, new aircraft designs had to fit into safety rules written for older technology. This meant that genuinely new control systems, like the Falcon 10X's joystick, faced a long and uncertain path to approval. These special conditions mean that regulators can now assess novel designs on their own terms, rather than trying to force them into outdated categories.