John Rosanvallon, CEO and president of Dassault Falcon Jet,
announced development of a shorter-range variant of the Falcon 2000EX that will
be capable of flying six passengers 3,250 nmi at 0.80 Mach and landing with
NBAA IFR reserves. The aircraft grew out of market demand for a Falcon that
would offer the runway performance and range of a Falcon 50EX plus the
wide-body cabin comfort of the Falcon 2000. The result is the Falcon 2000DX, a
2007 model that will be capable of departing a 4,800-ft runway with full fuel
and six passengers, assuming standard day conditions.
The formula for the Falcon 2000DX was simple. Dassault
simply reduced the 2000EX's fuel capacity by 2,060 lbs and dropped the maximum
ramp and takeoff weights by 300 lbs. Essentially, all the other specs remain
unchanged. The result is an aircraft that has the sporty thrust-to-weight ratio
of a super-midsize jet, but the cabin of a wide-body Falcon. The Falcon 50EX,
in contrast, can test the limits of passenger comfort on the longest-range missions.
The Falcon 2000DX retains the EX's 7,000-hour TBO,
7,000-pounds-thrust PWC 308C turbofans, Primus Epic EASy cockpit and systems,
including quadruple high-capacity fuel pumps, beefy landing gear and long-life
carbon brakes. Model DX also has the EX's improved brake-by-wire/steer-by-wire
computer, automatic ground spoilers and brake temperature monitoring system,
plus its bleed air computer system and higher-capacity air cycle machine. A
reduction in belly tank fuel capacity accounts for its 14,660-lb fuel capacity.
Model DX also will have Dassault's newest-production thermal
and acoustical insulation, plus cabin shell isolators that prevent most noise
and vibration from being transmitted from the fuselage to the seating areas. In
addition, the aircraft will have sound- and vibration-insulating engine mounts,
making this Falcon one of the quietest in Dassault's product line.
The B/CA equipped price for the Falcon 2000DX has yet to be
set, but it's likely to be in the $25 million range in year 2007 dollars.
Dassault Falcon Jet is exhibiting at Booth 277, and all its current-production
aircraft, plus the new fly-by-wire Falcon 7X, can be seen at the static
display.
