Dassault Aviation will feature the Falcon 7X
very long range trijet and the new Falcon 2000S short-field twin
at the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE),
taking place this week (14-16 April) at Hongqiao Airport in
Shanghai, China.
China is one of the world’s fastest selling
business jet markets and a major destination for Falcon aircraft
with about 40 Falcons currently in operation in the country.
“Although new sales activity in China was down
in 2014, deliveries for Falcons remained very strong, with 8
aircraft entering service,” said Oliver Villa, Senior VP, Civil
aircraft at Dassault Aviation. “We are still seeing strong demand
for our Falcon 7X, a trend we expect to continue with the new
ultra long range Falcon 8X and very large body Falcon 5X as those
recently introduced aircraft progress through development. We are also encouraged by strong Chinese
interest in the new Falcon 2000S and Falcon 2000LXS short-field
models, certified in early 2013, which demonstrates the increased
maturity of the Chinese market.”
With 35 units in service, China has become the
second largest market, behind the United States, for the Falcon
7X. The 5,950 nm/11,020 km 7X can connect Shanghai directly with
destinations throughout the Asia Pacific region as well as most of
Europe and the Western United States.
Featuring advanced systems derived largely from
military aircraft and an ultra-quiet, roomy interior that allows
passengers to disembark fresh and relaxed after a 13 hour flight,
the 7X offers operating economy and versatility,
including the ability to serve ultra confined, elevated and hot
airfields that are typically inaccessible to large jets. Last
year, the 7X completed trials in Daocheng, China (altitude: 14,470
feet), that will allow it to operate the world’s highest
commercial airport.
These features help explain why the 7X is the
fastest selling Falcon ever. More than 250 units have left the
assembly line since the model was certified in 2007.
The new Falcon 8X and very large body Falcon 5X
are expected to follow in the 7X’s footsteps. Derived from the 7X,
the 6,450 nm/12,000 km Falcon 8X made its first flight on 6 February
2015 and is due to begin deliveries in the second half of 2016. It
will feature the longest Falcon cabin while offering the same advanced
flight deck technology and operating flexibility as the 7X.
Rollout of the all-new Falcon 5X is anticipated in
a few weeks and first flight will follow this summer.
Dassault’s two new Falcon 2000S and 2000LXS wide
body twins are also ideal for Chinese market conditions. The
3,350 nm/6,205 km 2000S is the new entry level jet in the Falcon
family. Equipped with a full slate of standard features, including
upgraded EASy II avionics, FalconCabin HD+ entertainment system
and a brand new cabin design, it brings large cabin comfort to the
super mid-size segment.
The 4,000 nm/7,410 km Falcon 2000LXS combines
the short field performance of the 2000S with the longer range
capabilities of the 2000LX. The aircraft features the same inboard slats and
winglets as the 2000S model, and has a balanced field
length of 4,675 ft /1,425 m (SL, ISA) at 42,800 lb of MTOW.
The Falcon line is rounded out by the long range
Falcon 900LX trijet. Equipped with Honeywell TFE731-60 engines and
a state-of-the art EASy II flight deck, the 900LX offers 7% more
range than the Falcon 900EX EASy, which it replaced in 2010.
Dassault,
Shanghai
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