Dassault Falcon 900

Falcon 900
Role Business jet
National origin France
Manufacturer Dassault Aviation
First flight 21 September 1984
Status Active service, in production
Primary users French Air Force
Japan Coast Guard
Nigerian Air Force
Royal Malaysian Air Force
Produced 1984-present
Number built 500+[1]
Unit cost
US$44.8 million[2]
Developed from Dassault Falcon 50
Variants Dassault Falcon 2000
Dassault Falcon 7X

The Dassault Falcon 900 is a French-built corporate jet aircraft made by Dassault Aviation. Together with its larger sibling, the Falcon 7X, in 2008 they were the only trijets in production.[3] Both aircraft are notable in featuring an S-duct central engine.

Development

A Falcon 900EX during a flyby
Dassault Falcon 900B lands at Birmingham Airport

The Falcon 900 is a development of the Falcon 50, itself a development of the earlier Falcon 20. The Falcon 900 design incorporates composite materials.

Improved models include the Falcon 900-B, featuring improved engines and increased range, and the Falcon 900EX featuring further improvements in engines and range and an all-glass flight deck. The Falcon 900C is a lower-cost companion to the Falcon 900EX and replaces the Falcon 900B. Later versions are the Falcon 900EX EASy and the Falcon 900DX. At EBACE 2008, Dassault announced another development of the 900 series; the Falcon 900LX[3] incorporating High Mach Blended Winglets designed by Aviation Partners Inc. The same winglets are certified for the entire Falcon 900 series as a retrofit kit.

Operational service

The Falcon 900 is used by the Escadron de transport, d'entrainement et de calibration, which is in charge of transportation for officials of the French state.

Variants

Falcon 900
Announced in 1984. Original production. Powered by three 20 kN (4,500 lbf) Garrett TFE731-5AR-1C turbofan engines.[4] Certified in 1986 by French and U.S. aviation authorities.
Falcon 900 MSA
Maritime patrol version for Japan Coast Guard. Equipped with search radar and hatch for dropping rescue stores.[5]
Falcon 900B
Revised production version from 1991.[5] Powered by 21.13 kN (4,750 lbf) TFE731-5BR-1C engines.[6]

Falcon 900C

Replacement for 900B with improved avionics. Introduced 2000.[5][6]
Falcon 900EX
Long range version, with 22.24 kN (5,000 lbf) TFE731-60 engines and more fuel to give range of 8,340 km (4,501 nm; 5,180 miles). Improved avionics (Honeywell Primus). Entered service 1996.[6]

Falcon 900EX EASy

900EX with Enhanced Avionics System (EASy) incorporating ground-breaking T-shape configuration of Honeywell Primus Epic avionics and path-based flight display.

Falcon 900DX
Shorter-range production type. TFE731-60 engines.[7]
Falcon 900LX
Current production variant of EX fitted with Blended Winglets designed by Aviation Partners Inc.. Improved range of 4,750 nmi (8,800 km).[8]
VC-900A
Italian military designation for the 900EX.[9]
VC-900B
Italian military designation for the 900EASY.[9]

Operators

Civil operators

A Falcon 900B of Gazpromavia at Pulkovo Airport

A wide range of private owners, businesses and small airlines operate Falcon 900s.

 Saudi Arabia

Saudia Private Aviation

 Qatar

Military operators

A Falcon 900 of the Royal Malaysian Air Force
Falcon 900EX of the Italian Air Force
A Spanish Air Force Falcon 900B
 Belgium
 Bolivia
 France
 Germany
 Japan
 Italy
 Malaysia
 Namibia
 Nigeria
 Russia
 South Africa
 Spain
 Syria
 United Arab Emirates
  Switzerland
 Venezuela

Former operators

 Algeria
 Australia
 Gabon
 Greece
  • Government of Greece
 Malawi
 Monaco

Accidents and incidents

  • On September 14, 1999, a Falcon 900B operating for the Greek Government and registered SX-ECH was descending to land at Bucharest, Romania, when the autopilot disengaged and several pilot-induced oscillations occurred. The impact of unfastened passengers with the cabin and aircraft furniture resulted in fatal injuries to 7 passengers, serious injuries to 2 and minor to another 2. Among the victims was Giannos Kranidiotis, then alternate foreign minister for Greece.[14]

Specifications (Falcon 900B)

A Falcon 900 shortly after take-off

Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory[6]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ "Page Not Found". www.dassaultfalcon.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  2. ↑ "Purchase Planning Handbook" (PDF). Business & Commercial Aviation. Aviation Week Network. May 2018.
  3. 1 2 "News Channel - Homepage - flightglobal.com". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  4. ↑ Taylor 1988, p.77.
  5. 1 2 3 "The Dassault Falcon 900". airliners.net. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Taylor, M J H (editor) (1999). Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition. Brassey's. ISBN 1-85753-245-7.
  7. ↑ "Falcon 900 DX". Dassault Aviation, 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  8. ↑ "Falcon 900LX Performance". Dassault Falcon.
  9. 1 2 http://www.dgaa.it/newsletter/newsletter60/AER-0-0-12.pdf
  10. ↑ Cicalesi, Juan Carlos; Rivas, Santiago (August 2010). "New Bolivian Presidential Transport". Air International. Vol. 79 no. 2. p. 5.
  11. ↑ "Official website Aeronautica Militare". difesa.it. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  12. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-31. Retrieved 2015-06-12.
  13. ↑ Malawi Sells Presidential Jet Archived 2014-05-19 at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ Accident description for ASN Aircraft accident 14-SEP-1999 Dassault Falcon 900B SX-ECH at the Aviation Safety Network
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