Summary
- The Falcon 2000 is a twin-engine business jet by Dassault Aviation, used by private owners, companies, military forces, and operators.
- Operating costs vary based on flight hours, with 200 hours costing $1,407,444, 300 hours costing $2,767,176, and 450 hours plus charter hours costing $3,246,770.
- The Falcon 2000 has a range of up to 5,797 kilometers, seats 8-19 passengers, and is known for its robustness, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and performance.
The Dassault Falcon 2000 is a twin-engine, wide-body business jet produced by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation. It’s part of their Falcon business jet line. The Falcon 2000 was introduced in 1995 and production continues today.
The Falcon 2000 is used by private owners and companies, military forces, private jet operators and for fractional ownership. How expensive is the aircraft to operate? Let’s look in more detail.
Annual budget for 200 hours and 400 hours
Firstly, let’s take a look at the operating costs of the Falcon 2000 for 200 years per year. Liberty Jet suggests that you would need a budget of $1,407,444 per year. The maximum speed of the Falcon 2000 is 551 miles per hour, but with slower speeds during climb, cruise and descent, the jet’s average speed is 441 miles per hour. With a fuel cost of $6 per gallon, this equates to a cost per mile of $15.96.
In comparison, if the Falcon 2000 was to fly for 400 hours, the annual budget would be $2,282,147 per year. With 400 hours per year, the fixed costs can be spread over more flight hours, reducing the cost per mile to $12.94. These annual budgets do not include the initial cost of the aircraft, depreciation, or interest payments.
Annual Budget
|
Cost |
Flying 200 hours/year |
Flying 400 hours/year |
|---|---|---|
|
Direct Operating Costs (DOC) |
||
|
Fuel Cost @ $7.23/gal Updated |
$409,218 |
$818,436 |
|
Maintenance |
$107,357 |
$214,714 |
|
Engine Overhaul |
$248,129 |
$496,257 |
|
Misc Crew/Landing/Handling |
$80,000 |
$160,000 |
|
Miscellaneous Variable |
$30,000 |
$60,000 |
|
Total Direct Operating Costs (DOC) |
$874,704 |
$1,749,407 |
|
Fixed Costs |
||
|
Crew |
$306,570 |
$306,570 |
|
Crew Training |
$47,895 |
$47,895 |
|
Hangar |
$55,951 |
$55,951 |
|
Insurance |
$15,695 |
$15,695 |
|
Jet Management |
$78,000 |
$78,000 |
|
Miscellaneous Fixed |
$28,629 |
$28,629 |
|
Total Fixed Costs |
$532,740 |
$532,740 |
|
Total Annual Budget |
$1,407,444 |
$2,282,147 |
Annual budget based on 300 hours
If we take that up a notch to 300 hours, let us see what difference there is. Guardian Jet says that the annual fixed costs of the Falcon 2000 are $877,768. This is made up of costs for the crew, hangar space, hull and liability insurance, and miscellaneous items.
The variable costs per hour can be broken down into fuel ($1,802), maintenance ($1,273), engine reserves ($1,206), and miscellaneous items ($630). The total cost of variables is $4,911,36 per hour.
- Total fixed cost: $877,768
- Total variable cost: $1, 473,408
- Total cost of operation: $2,767,176
Photo: Dassault
Budget based on 450 hours plus
If the Falcon 2000 flies for 400 hours and assumes that the fuel cost is $6 per gallon, an annual budget of $3,577,770 is needed. This can be further broken down into fixed costs of $939,420 and variable costs of $2,638,350. This means that per hour, the Falcon 2000 costs $7,950.60.
If we take this a step further, charter hours can also be added. If 200 charter hours are added, the fixed cost becomes $608,420. The variable cost is $2,638,350 remains the same and the annual budget is $3,246,770. The cost per hour to operate the Falcon 2000, is then $7,125.04.
DASSAULT Falcon 2000
Flying 450 Hours per Year
Annual Owner Hours: 450
Annual Charter Hours: 0
Fuel Cost: $6.00
Total Fixed Cost: $939,420.00
Total Variable Cost: $2,638,350.00
Annual Budget: $3,577,770.00
Total Hourly Cost: $7,950.60
Flying 450 Hours per Year + 200 Charter Hours
Annual Owner Hours: 450
Annual Charter Hours: 200
Fuel Cost: $6.00
Total Fixed Cost: $608,420.00
Total Variable Cost: $2,638,350.00
Annual Budget: $3,246,770.00
Total Hourly Cost: $7,215.04
Photo: BlueBarronPhoto | Shutterstock
More about the Falcon 2000
The Falcon 2000 was developed from the Dassault Falcon 900 tri-jet, and its first flight was on March 4, 1993. It typically seats eight to ten passengers but can seat up to 19, depending on the configuration. The aircraft has a range of up to 5,797 kilometers, depending on the model, and it has a top speed of up to Mach 0.86, around 1,062 km/h or 660 mph.
Specifications Falcon 2000LXS
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Capacity: 10 passengers
- Length: 20.23 m (66 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 21.38 m (70 ft 2 in)
- Height: 7.11 m (23 ft 4 in)
- Max takeoff weight: 19,414 kg (42,801 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 16,660 lb (7,557 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308C turbofan engines, 31.14 kN (7,000 lbf) thrust each
Performance
- Maximum speed: Mach 0.85-0.862
- Range: 7,408 km (4,603 mi, 4,000 nmi) (6 passengers, 2 crew, Mach .80)
- Service ceiling: 14,326 m (47,001 ft)
- Take-off distance: 1,425 m (4,675 ft)
- Landing distance: 689 m (2,260 ft) ((FAR 91, 6 pax, SL, NBAA IFR reserves)
The Falcon 2000 is still in production today, and as of October 2022, over 675 have been built. When introduced, the aircraft cost $17.5 million, now it costs $36 million for the Falcon 2000LXS. The Falcon 2000 series is known for its robustness, reliability, cost-effectiveness, and performance. It’s a popular choice for business travel, offering a comfortable and productive cabin environment for passengers.
Related
How Much Fuel Did Taylor Swift’s Private Jet Consume in 2023?
Taylor Swift owns and operates a Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft.
Falcon 2000 variants
Dassault offers several variants of the Falcon 2000, including the Falcon 2000LXS, which boasts the longest range and best performance out of the series. Others include the Falcon 2000EX, the Falcon 2000EX EASy, the Falcon 2000DX, the Falcon 2000LX, and the Falcon 2000S. Military versions are the Falcon 2000MRA/MSA for reconnaissance and surveillance missions and the Falcon 2000 Albatros.
Related
What Is The Latest With The Dassault Falcon 10X?
Falcon 10X is set to be certified around 2027.