Summary

  • Dassault Aviation, founded in 1929, is a major European military aviation supplier and business jet manufacturer.
  • The Falcon 7X family of business jets has over 18 million flight hours on nearly 3,000 jets, making it notable worldwide.
  • The Falcon 7X, with 3 engines and a long cabin, has a 5,950 nautical mile range, fits 16 passengers, and costs $1.5-$2.25 million yearly.

Dassault Aviation is one of the most notable business jet manufacturers in the world. The French manufacturer is historically one of the biggest European military aviation suppliers, having been founded in 1929. Originally, the company was founded by Marcel Bloch. Bloch was appointed as the French Minister of Air in the 1930s as France nationalized its defense industry. After World War II concluded, Bloch retook control of the company, which was later changed to Dassault. In the early 1950s, Dassault began the production of the Mystère family. These helped solidify Dassault as a major player in the military aviation industry. This continued through the rest of the century with the introduction of several other military aircraft, including:

However, in the early 1960s, Dassault transitioned to a different aviation industry as well. In 1965, Dassault introduced the Dassault Falcon 20. The Falcon 20 was the first business jet developed by Dassault and signaled its entry into the private jet market. This has led to the eventual production of several other Falcon variants over the last 50 years. Overall, the Falcon family of business jets has become one of the most notable business jet families in the world, as it has accumulated over 18 million flight hours on nearly 3,000 different business jets.

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What Is The Most Produced Dassault Falcon Variant?

The most produced Dassault Falcon ever was the Falcon 20.

One of the most notable Falcons in the family is the Falcon 7X. This aircraft, which was designed from the Falcon 900 series, operates with a third engine. This makes it extremely noticeable when sitting on the tarmac. Let’s take a closer look at how this tri-engine business jet came to be and what makes it so special. Let’s also briefly look at how expensive this aircraft is to operate.

Brief history of the Falcon 7X

The Falcon 7X was first conceptualized in the late 1990s. Dassault intended to make major improvements to the popular Dassault Falcon 900EX, which was the largest business jet in production by Dassault at the time. Dassault intended to use the Falcon 7X in the ultra-long-range market, as well as make major improvements to the aircraft’s speed and make upgrades to the interior and avionics systems.

G-MATO Falcon 7X

Dassault first unveiled the Falcon 7X at the 2001 Paris Air Show. The company announced it intended to reach over 5,700 nautical miles (6,560 miles) and reach a new maximum speed compared to the Falcon 900EX. The new Falcon 7X would keep a similar fuselage cross-section to the Falcon 900 series, but Dassault intended to stretch the fuselage for a higher passenger capacity and to fit additional fuel tanks if needed to reach its intended maximum range.

The aircraft received a positive response from the business jet community, and orders began to get placed. The first Falcon 7X prototype completed its maiden flight in May 2005. Dassault utilized several prototype aircraft to conduct flight tests over the 1,200-hour program. The aircraft achieved certification from both the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in April 2007. Deliveries of the aircraft began in June of that year.

Dassault Falcon 7X taking off from El Prat Airport in Barcelona, Spain

Photo: Santi Rodriguez | Shutterstock

Some unique design features on the business jet

Dassault utilized several design features from the Falcon 900 series when developing the Falcon 7X. The most notable feature of the Falcon 7X is its third engine, which is located on the top of the fuselage. Dassault utilizes three Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307 turbofan engines, which each provide over 6,400 pounds of thrust. This helps the aircraft reach a top speed of Mach 0.9 (594 miles per hour).

The Falcon 7X has the following performance specifications:

Length

76.08 feet

Height

25.67 feet

Wingspan

86 feet

Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW)

70,000 pounds

Cruise speed

Mach 0.80 (528 miles per hour)

Range

5,950 nautical miles (6,847 miles)

Service ceiling

51,000 feet

The long cabin, which stretches nearly 40 feet, can fit a maximum of 16 passengers, depending on the configuration. It also allows for improved headroom, with the cabin height reaching over 6.1 feet. The aircraft can be flown by two crew members, and it is fitted with the Falcon Enhanced Avionics System (EASy).

Expected operating costs

When the Falcon 7X was first released in 2007, it was sold for about $41 million. This was significantly cheaper than offerings from other ultra-long-range providers, such as Gulfstream and Bombardier. Currently, slightly used models of the Falcon 7X can be found for between $37 million and $51 million, per AV Buyer. Older aircraft can dip as low as $20 million, per Liberty Jet. The sale price of these aircraft is dependent on the aircraft’s age, how many landings it has experienced, and how many flight hours it has recorded.

A Dassault Falcon 7X flying in the sky.

Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock

According to Liberty Jet, the operating cost of a Falcon 7X is estimated to reach between $1.5 million and $2.25 million annually. This is dependent on the number of flight hours the operator expects to use the business jet for. The annual variable costs typically vary between $800,000 and $1.6 million, which includes the cost of fuel, maintenance fees, engine overhaul, and other handling fees. The fixed costs, which include crew payments, crew training, hangar rental, insurance payments, and other management fees, are estimated at around $650,000 per Liberty Jet.

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