This website uses cookies
More information
Business Air News Bulletin
Business Air News Bulletin

Press Release

Issued by AMDA Foundation Ltd.

February 23, 2015

Dassault Aviation to present Falcon fleet at Australian International Airshow

Dassault Aviation will present its Falcon fleet of large cabin, long range business jets at the Australian International Airshow, Australia's largest and most comprehensive aviation, aerospace and defense exposition.

The six day event, which opens on February 24th, will take place at Avalon airport in Geelong, Australia. It will feature Dassault Aviation's 5,950 nm/11,000 km Falcon 7X trijet, the fastest selling Falcon of all time; the 4,750 nm/8,800 km Falcon 900LX trijet, a class leader in both performance and fuel efficiency; and the 4,000 nm/7,700 km Falcon 2000LXS, a short-field derivative of the popular Falcon 2000LX twin.

Australia has been a key market for Dassault for almost half century. The company's first business jet, the Falcon 20, entered commercial service 'down under' in 1967, barely two years after its service introduction in the United States. The Falcon 20 entered the inventory of the Royal Australian Air Force the same year and served in the RAAF's transport and utility wing for 22 years before being replaced by the Falcon 900. The force flew five Falcon 900s for 13 years.

Ten Falcons are currently in operation in Australia. The fleet includes all in production Falcons, including the Falcon 7X, Falcon 900 (EX model) and the Falcon 2000LX, and is particularly active in the tourism, wine and mining sectors.

The exceptional flexibility, operating economy and comfort of Falcon business jets make them ideal in a country of continental proportions dotted with small hard to reach airfields.

The current flagship, the Falcon 7X, features advanced systems largely derived from military aircraft along with an ultra-quiet, roomy interior that allows passengers to disembark fresh and relaxed after a 13 hour flight. The aircraft's exceptional versatility allows it to serve the most demanding destinations even at short, elevated and hot airfields. Last year, the Falcon 7X completed trials in Daocheng, China that will allow it to operate out of the highest commercial airports in the world.

More than 250 7X aircraft have left the assembly line since the model was certified in 2007.

The 4,750 nm Falcon 900LX offers 7% more range than the Falcon 900EX EASy, which it replaced in 2010. The 900LX features Honeywell TFE731-60 engines and the state-of-the art EASy II flight deck.

The 4,000 nm Falcon 2000LXS offers improved airport performance, payload and cabin comfort compared to the Falcon 2000LX, which it superseded in 2013. Equipped with full-length inboard slats and high-mach blended winglets that enhance approach and landing capabilities and balanced field length, the 2000LXS can access more airports than any other aircraft in its category.

Dassault Continues New Aircraft Development

Over the past 18 months, Dassault has introduced two new models that are also expected to prove popular with Australian operators: the 6,450 nm/12,000 km Falcon 8X, which rolled out last December, and the 5,200 nm/9,630 km Falcon 5X, introduced in 2013.

The 8X made its first flight on February 6 and is due to begin deliveries by mid-2016. It will feature the longest Falcon cabin and the lowest ownership and operating costs in its class while offering the same advanced flight deck technology and operating flexibility as the Falcon 7X from which it is derived.

The all-new Falcon 5X will offer the largest cabin cross-section of any business jet and the lowest ownership and operating costs in its category. First flight is anticipated later this year and market entry in 2017.

Customer Service Investment Grows

To ensure optimum service levels for its expanding fleet, Dassault has been rapidly expanding its global support network, including in Australia.

The company's spares inventory in Sydney has increased nearly 60% over the past two years, to about U.S. $4 million. The Sydney warehouse, managed by Hawker Pacific, has been in operation since 2005 and stocks the top 500 parts for all Falcon models.

Dassault's relationship with Hawker Pacific dates back over 30 years. In addition to spares management, the Sydney facility is a Falcon Authorized Service Center qualified to perform line maintenance and scheduled A and B level checks on all Falcons. It has approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of Australia, EASA, the FAA and CASA of Papua New Guinea.