February 18, 2019 (Saint-Cloud, France): Dassault Aviation’s Falcon 2000S will be featured at India’s largest military and civil aircraft show, Aero India. The 2000S, recently certified by EASA and the FAA for low visibility approaches down to 100 feet, using the advanced FalconEye Combined Vision System (CVS), will be presented alongside the company’s Rafale frontline fighter at the five-day event, which opens February 20 at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. The first Falcon 2000 nose section, manufactured by the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) manufacturing facility in Nagpur, India, will be also displayed during the show. Aero India show guests will also be able to view 3D immersive reality demonstrations of the new Falcon 6X cabin at the Dassault chalet.
“The reputation of Falcon jets in India is built upon their unrivaled combination of range, agility and airport performance and on Dassault Aviation’s half century of experience supplying the Indian Air Force with technologically advanced fighters for its frontline combat aircraft requirements,” said Eric Trappier, chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation.
Falcon 2000: Well Suited for Demanding Regional Requirements
Two thirds of the Falcons currently operating in the region are Falcon 2000s. The twinjet has long been popular with Indian operators for its reliability, cabin comfort, hot-and-high capability and low operating cost. The FalconEye enhanced flight vision system capability – the first Head Up Display (HUD) to combine synthetic and enhanced vision greatly improves access to airports in bad weather and significantly enhances aircraft fleet efficiency. The system is now also certified for the Falcon 2000LXS, the Falcon 900 and the Falcon 8X.
The 3,350 nm / 6,200 km Falcon 2000S – like its longer range version, the Falcon 2000LXS – offers the short-field capability of a smaller business jet but with the range and comfort level of a large cabin. Redesigned wing, more powerful engines and an intuitive second-generation EASy II flight deck improve the ability of the 2000S and 2000LXS to operate in and out of small, hard-to-reach airfields like those throughout the Indian subcontinent while permitting passengers to fly nonstop from Mumbai to Beijing or Delhi to Moscow. The Falcon 2000S is also available with a wide range of state-of-the-art options, including the new FalconConnect inflight connectivity service that seamlessly integrates all cockpit and cabin ground and satellite communications into a single bundled offering and FalconSphere, a new comprehensive Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) solution.
Falcon 6X: The New Benchmark for Cabin Size and Comfort
Falcon sales are expected to get a further boost in the region with the arrival of the all-new ultra-widebody Falcon 6X twinjet, which will offer the widest cabin cross-section of any business jet on the market. The 6X recently entered the detail design phase and is well on track for a first flight in 2021 and initial deliveries in 2022.
The 5,500 nm / 10,186 km Falcon 6X will comfortably link cities such as Delhi and Bengaluru directly to destinations such as Moscow, London or Cape Town. The 6X cabin will offer 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) of headroom and a floor width of 8 feet 6 inches (2.58 meters). It will accommodate 12-16 passengers in three separate lounge areas and offer multiple layout configurations, including a large entryway, a crew rest area, and a spacious rear lounge affording greater privacy, especially on long overnight flights. The cabin will also be exceptionally bright, thanks to 30 extra-large windows and a skylight – an industry first – that provides additional natural light in the normally dim galley area.
The 6X will be equipped with several innovative design features, including a new ultra-efficient wing and a new-generation digital flight control system (DFCS) that integrates all flight control surfaces, including slats and flaps, which increase aircraft performance and safety while reducing pilot workload. The DFCS will feature a new “flaperon” control surface derived from fighter aircraft applications; flaperons enhance lift and roll control especially during approaches with a steep descent profile. The 6X also incorporates nose-wheel steering for safer runway handling in strong cross-winds or on wet runways. The aircraft will be powered by PW812D engines, based on proven core technology already employed in 16 different Pratt & Whitney Canada PurePower engine applications.
Falcon 8X: An Unrivaled Combination of Range, Versatility and Airport Performance
The Falcon 8X can fly nonstop from Delhi to London or Sydney. It offers the quietest and most passenger-friendly cabin in business aviation with a broad selection of standard cabin configurations, including a forward lounge bar that can be easily converted into a certified crew rest area for very long flights.
Its industry-leading DFCS ensures unrivaled flying stability ensuring an ultra-smooth flight. The Falcon 8X is available with the FalconEye Combined Vision System, the new FalconConnect inflight connectivity service, and other world-class Dassault equipment options. The FalconEye option is being further enhanced with the addition of a dual-HUD configuration that will support an EFVS-to-land capability. This will allow pilots to fly a full approach and land without requiring natural vision to see the runway. The full approval of this capability is anticipated in 2020.
First Falcon 2000 Nose Section Assembly to be delivered by DRAL to Dassault Aviation
The first fuselage nose section of the Falcon 2000 series aircraft, produced by Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) in its manufacturing facility at Nagpur, is ready to be delivered to the Dassault Aviation Falcon final assembly line in France. “Dassault Aviation’s investment in India and our commitment to the “Make in India” and “Skill India” initiatives demonstrate our company’s determination to helpgrow an Indian aerospace eco-system which matches the highest standards in the global aerospace market,” declared Trappier. In parallel, larger infrastructures are being developed and will soon be completed allowing the ramp-up of DRAL capabilities toward the assembly of a Falcon 2000 fully manufactured and assembled in India.
Acquisition of ExecuJet MRO Unit Expands Falcon Service Capability in Asia Dassault Aviation has been moving to reinforce its aftermarket customer support capability in the Indian subcontinent and Asia. Last month, Dassault Aviation acquired the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations of the ExecuJet Group, which offers product support in several locations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
“ExecuJet’s global maintenance team has been providing state-of-the-art structural engineering and avionics services for decades, and will remain accessible to business jet owners of all types,” said Trappier. “By retaining the team’s separate identity and leadership and adding valuable synergies from the Dassault Group, we intend to make significantly enhanced service capabilities available to operators around the world.”
The ExecuJet facilities will complement existing Dassault Authorized Service Centers in Mumbai – one operated by Taj Air for the Falcon 2000 series, the other by Air Works India for the Falcon 900EX/LX family – and a Dassault spares distribution center, also located in Mumbai. These resources are supported by regional facilities in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and a recently opened $50-million, 180,000-square-foot (16,500-square-meter) distribution center near Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport which will expedite delivery of key spares throughout the Eastern Hemisphere.
Customers in the region also benefit from Falcon Response, Dassault’s comprehensive AOG support service offering. This service is designed to whisk spare parts, repair tools and 24/7 Go Team specialists around the globe in the event of an aircraft on ground situation, enabled by two Falcon 900 aircraft. The Falcon Response aircraft can also be used for alternative lift – an industry first.
