Since 2019, the Dassault Aviation network has approximately doubled in size to 40 wholly-owned factory service locations and 21 authorised facilities. And more and more of these facilities are being equipped to perform major inspections and upgrades closer to customers while ensuring a uniformly high standard of excellence.

In particular, the company is increasing the number of Dassault MRO locations that can perform major C checks and install the latest Falcon technologies, including the EASy IV flight deck, FalconEye Combined Vision System and the FalconConnect high-speed Internet connectivity package.

Here are some of the most recent steps Dassault has taken to further strengthen MRO support.

- Dubai: a major new ExecuJet MRO facility able to handle the latest and largest Falcons, as well as other brands, has just opened at the new Al Maktoum International airport (Dubai World Central). The growing airport is fast becoming a new hub of business aviation activity in the Middle East. The new 15,000 sqm facility can service 15 aircraft at once and will support a growing fleet of Falcons in the Middle East and surrounding regions. Dassault Aviation will retain aircraft on ground (AOG) service at Dubai International airport.

- Malaysia: A brand new ExecuJet MRO facility is well under construction and will open at Subang airport in Kuala Lumpur in early 2024. The new 12,000 sqm location is larger than the facilities it is replacing and will be able to accommodate new ultra wide cabin Falcon models. It will help Dassault serve new and growing markets in southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Indonesia.

- Melbourne, Florida: A new MRO facility with a capacity for 15 aircraft is scheduled to open in early 2025. The 12,000 sqm facility will service aircraft from North and South America and will include a paint shop. The Melbourne facility brings new capacity to the important eastern US market, which has a high concentration of Falcon aircraft.

- New Delhi: Falcon operators now have a new authorised service centre to choose from in India; Indamer, located at Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi. The facility will be the third in India, including two other sites in Mumbai. India today has one of the world's best performing economies in terms of GDP growth, and the new service location will support the anticipated increase in business aviation activity.

- First Falcon 7X 2C check: Dassault Falcon Jet Little Rock has completed the most extensive inspection to date on a Falcon 7X; a C check, required every eight years or 4,000 cycles. In this case the aircraft was receiving its second C check along with a complete landing gear overhaul after 16 years in service.

The entire Dassault MRO network has been gearing up for more than a year to perform these extensive inspections, even providing on-site structural engineers to speed the process if repairs are required. Falcon 7X customers now have more options on where to take their aircraft for C checks. Besides Little Rock, they can choose between long-established facilities in Paris-Le Bourget, Bordeaux and newer locations such as Geneva, closer to their home base, part of the company's strategy of maximising customer choice and convenience.

Planning and preparation for 7X C checks will also benefit the Falcon 8X fleet, which will see its first C check in 2023. Several 8X C checks are already planned at factory-owned facilities later this year.

“Our fleet is increasingly global, and our service must be global, as well,” says SVP, worldwide Falcon customer service and service centre network Jean Kayanakis. “By constantly investing in new facilities and programmes to upgrade the skills of our people, we are making it easier for customers to operate their Falcons anywhere in the world.”