DASSAULT AVIATION, has clocked up ten orders for its Falcon 900EX business jet, since its launch in October 1994.
The company hopes to fly the aircraft at the Paris air show in June. Delivery to first customer Sony is due in April 1996. "It's started well, and we think we'll pick up at least 100 orders for the EX in the next few years," says Jean-Francois Georges, Dassault Aviation's senior vice-president of civil aircraft. The company, will not reveal 900B sales to date, however.
The 900EX is being offered alongside the existing Falcon 900B, and costs about 10% more, at $26 million. Range is increased by 900km (500nm) over that of the 900B, to 8,300km, through increases in fuel capacity and introduction of the AlliedSignal TFE731-60 turbofan. Meanwhile, delivery of the first Falcon 2000, to a South African customer, is imminent, with follow-on deliveries mostly to US customers, says Georges.
Georges says that Falcon 2000 delivery slots are "...virtually booked out" until 1997. At the current production rate of two aircraft a month, he says that this adds up to "more than 40" sales to date. Production could be increased to 3.5 aircraft a month, he says, "...but, what is important in this very nervous market, is that we remain totally flexible".
A single worldwide organisation, Dassault Falcon Jet, was created on 1 January to carry out worldwide co-ordination of marketing and support. The 100% subsidiary of Dassault Aviation is based in New Jersey.
Source: Flight International
