Dassault Falcon variants have shaped the landscape of luxury business aviation for over six decades. From its maiden flight in 1963 to the cutting-edge models of today, these jets embody a legacy of innovation and performance. Each variant, including the latest like the Falcon 10X, promises unparalleled range and comfort, leveraging technology derived from Dassault’s esteemed military aircraft. As we explore these remarkable machines, from the Falcon 900 to the Falcon 7X, we uncover a history of refinement and excellence, culminating in a fleet that continues to redefine business travel standards worldwide. Continue reading to learn more about the Dassault Falcon variants.
The Dassault Falcon is one of the world’s oldest and most successful business jet lines. The aircraft first took to the skies in May 1963 and has been in production ever since. Dassault has over 2,700 Falcons and, through the decades, has continued to innovate and keep customers wanting more.
The most recent models have technology ripped straight from the manufacturer’s military aircraft, such as the Mirage and Rafale. According to Dassault, it’s the only business aircraft with military DNA.
Since its introduction in 1963, Dassault has created nine variants of the Falcon, all successful to varying degrees. It also has another model in the pipeline, the Falcon 10X, scheduled for a 2025 introduction and will feature the most range of any Falcon to date, with 7,500 NM.
Let’s examine the different variants of the Dassault Falcon, focusing on the most recent models.
Falcon 900
It is one of the most successful business jets in the world.
The Falcon 900 is a tri-engine, large business jet that has been in production for four decades—a surprisingly long time for any aircraft. However, it continues to sell and perform well. Dassault has reinvented the aircraft over the years, releasing new variants with better performance and technology to keep it on the cutting edge of business aviation.
The latest Falcon 900 variant is the 900LX. It was introduced at the 2008 European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE). Much of the overall aircraft remains the same as an older variant, the 900EX. However, the 900LX was fitted with modified wings to improve range and performance, featuring high-mach blended winglets. It helps increase the total range to 4,750 nautical miles (8,797 kilometers; 5,466 miles). The aircraft retains the 900EX’s Honeywell TFE731-60 engines.
It is still being determined how long Dassault will continue to produce the 900 series since it has been 16 years, and a refresh is long overdue. In addition, the trijet configuration of the aircraft is less efficient and burns more fuel than the twinjet configuration found on its competitors.
Dassault Falcon 2000
It’s a smaller twinjet built using the Falcon 900 platform.
The Falcon 2000 might be developed from the bigger 900. However, it’s a very successful aircraft in its own right. Dassault has sold more than 675 of the type across the nine variants produced.
The Falcon 2000 was first introduced into service in 1995. Dassault maintained the same fuselage as the 900 but removed the third engine nacelle and shortened the cabin by 7 ft (2.1 m). The cabin would now carry a maximum of 10 passengers but was offered in multiple configurations.
It also changed the wings. The inboard slats were removed, and the leading edge was changed for better control characteristics.
The smaller size meant the aircraft had a shorter range but was more expensive to operate than competing aircraft because of the less efficient engines. Dassault quickly introduced a new, more efficient variant, the 2000EX.
The latest variant is the 2000LXS, which combines the increased range of the 2000LX and the short-field performance of the 2000S. The 2000LXS has a range of 4,000 NM (4,603 mi) and a landing distance of 2313 ft (705 m), which allows it to land at much smaller airports than its competitors. Like all modern Dassault models, it features Dassault’s EASy avionics suite with synthetic vision and other capabilities based on the Honeywell Primus Epic.
Dassault Falcon 7X
A new trijet based on the tried and tested formula
Introduced in June 2007, the 7X is currently the second-largest in the Dassault Falcon series and one of three trijets in production in 2024. It is a large-cabin model and can accommodate up to 19 passengers in its high-density configuration.
Even though the aircraft is based on the 900, significant changes have been made. The all-new wings have five degrees more sweep, allowing it to fly at a maximum speed of Mach 0.90, faster than the preceding 900. The new transonic wing increased the lift-to-drag ratio by 0.1 over the previous design.
The fuselage maintains the 900’s cross-section. However, it is 20% longer and features a curved windscreen for added aerodynamic efficiency. The stretched fuselage allows the 7X to hold more passengers comfortably. The cabin altitude has been lowered to 6,000 ft (1,800 m) for added comfort.
Finally, the 7X is equipped with three Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A turbofan engines, each producing 6,402 lbf (28.48 kN) of thrust. The more powerful engines are also more efficient, which gives the 7X a range of 5,950 NM (6,847 mi).
Click here to continue reading
Original article published on simpleflying.com
