Extended-range variant set for approval this year, with modification offered for retrofit
Dassault is launching the extended-range, winglet-equipped Falcon 2000LX at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva this week.
Developed from the Falcon 2000EX, which it will replace in service in 2010, the 2000LX features Aviation Partners-developed blended winglets which reduce drag by up to 5%. The aircraft's range increases from 7,250km (3,920nm) to 7,400km at Mach 0.8 and it will climb to 41,000ft (12,500m) in 18min - one minute faster than 2000EX.
The 2000LX will also connect more city pairs, Dassault says, including New York to Moscow, Paris to Delhi and Hong Kong to Brisbane. "The range increase gives our customers more capability and more efficiency on longer trips and they will see their fuel consumption numbers drop," says John Rosanvallon, president and chief executive of Dassault Falcon.
A number of structural and systems modifications have been made to accommodate the winglets - reinforcing straps on the upper and lower wing panel and reinforcing the servo actuator door, says Dassault. The baseline wingspan of the 2000LX has been increased by 2.05m. The 2000LX development aircraft made its first flight in August last year and has chalked up 130 flight test hours. Certification is scheduled in the fourth quarter.
Dassault says the winglets will be offered as an option for Falcon 2000EX customers with deliveries scheduled in 2008 and 2009. They will also be available for retrofit on the Falcon 2000 series, of which over 400 have been sold, shortly after certification at a price of $550,000. Dassault says the partners are also developing winglets for the Falcon 900 family which could lead to the launch of a 900LX within a year.
| |
|---|
|
|---|
The 2000LX development aircraft has completed 130 flight test hours |
Source: Flight International
