“For an aircraft to fly well, it must look good,” said Marcel Dassault. Already well known for its elegant Mirage fighters, Dassault – the man and the company – proved the saying yet again on May 4, 1963, with the maiden flight of the Mystère 20, the company's first business jet. With an eye on the sizable American market, the Mystère 20 would soon be rebranded as the Falcon 20.
Sixty years and more than 2.700 business jets later, Dassault Aviation continues the tradition of building beautiful, technologically advanced aircraft.
“The formula hasn't changed,” said Dassault Aviation President and CEO Eric Trappier. “Every Dassault aircraft must have excellent handling, beautiful lines and robust construction. And, of course, it must offer state-of-the-art comfort.”
The Falcon 20 impressed some of the top aviation leaders of the day, including Charles Lindbergh, Pan Am chief executive Juan Trippe, and FedEx founder Fred Smith. It spawned 27 different types of models that found eager buyers among businessmen, government agencies and armed forces of various nations. Its pioneering safety features, including the use of robust fighter structures and systems, set the standard for numerous future safety enhancements, from cockpit head-up monitors to digital flight controls – technology that subsequently became pervasive throughout the entire world. the sector.
Today, Dassault's strong corporate values, design ethos and relentless focus on elegant lines, inside and out, are embodied in two all-new models, the 6nm Falcon 5.500X and the 10nm Falcon 7.500X. These aircraft feature the largest cabin cross-sections in business aviation, setting a new standard in comfort for long-haul engers.
Each has been recognized by the design community with prestigious interior design awards. The 6X, which enters service this year, is equipped with Dassault's most advanced digital flight control system to date. The 10X, which is in the early stages of assembly, will come with even more advanced systems and security features.
The first Dassault business jet takes off
Shortly after 17:4 pm on May 1963, 20, test pilots René Bigand and Jean Dilliare “gasped”, as one historical recalls, taking the Falcon XNUMX for an hour-long maiden flight.
The flight took place at the end of the day because of the visit of Charles Lindbergh, who stopped by to inspect the new executive jet on behalf of Pan Am. It was only after it departed Dassault's final assembly plant at Mérignac, near Bordeaux, that the flight team prepared the aircraft for flight.
Reportedly, Lindbergh sent a telegram to Pan Am CEO Juan Trippe: "I found our bird." The airline promptly ordered 40 units with options for a further 120 and created Pan Am Business Jets to manage its business jet operations. Later, the new entity evolved into Dassault Falcon Jet (DFJ), a wholly owned of Dassault Aviation. Headquartered in Teterboro, New Jersey, the DFJ is responsible for representing and ing the Falcons in the US and other parts of the Western Hemisphere.
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In 1973, Fred Smith launched FedEx with a fleet of 33 Falcon 20 aircraft modified with a large cargo door, helping to put the company on the path to success. In the 1980s, the US Coast Guard ordered 41 Falcon 20s (designated HU-25s) modified for search and rescue. In total, Dassault built around 500 Series 20 aircraft.
A history of continuous advancements
Over the next few years, the company released a series of aircraft models widely regarded by pilots as some of the best business jets to fly. Currently, more than 2.100 Falcons are operating in over 90 countries around the world.
The best selling model has been the Falcon 2000, a highly economical and super efficient twin that has been continually updated to remain at the top of its class. About 700 have been delivered to date.
The second best-selling model was the Falcon 900, which also went through several upgrades. To date, over 550 of these aircraft have been delivered, including two that were recently handed over to the Royal Air Force for VIP transport service.
“Through these different models, we have built a solid legacy and solid base of technological expertise that makes us confident in our ability to continue to develop new products that fully meet customer expectations,” said Trappier. “Sixty years later, Falcons are still completely different in the world of business jets: beautiful, fun to fly and always at the forefront of technology, bringing safety, comfort and productivity benefits to operators around the world.”
About Dassault Aviation
Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in more than 90 countries on six continents. Dassault designs and builds the Falcon family of business jets, as well as the Rafale fighter jet. The company employs more than 12.000 people and has production facilities in and the United States, as well as a worldwide service network. Since the launch of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2.650 Falcons have been delivered. The tri-jet and twin-engine lines offer excellent efficiency and comfort, with ranges from 3.500 nm to 7.500 nm. They include the flagship Falcon 10X, the pioneering Falcon 7X and 8X, the widebody Falcon 6X and the versatile Falcon 900LX, 2000LXS and 2000S. Falcon Customer Service continues to rank No. XNUMX in leading business aviation surveys.
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