Saint-Cloud Cedex 300, France, Oct. 05, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Dassault Aviation Hands Over First Falcon 8X
Greece's Amjet takes delivery of initial ultra long range trijet
Bordeaux-Mérignac, France, October 05, 2016. Dassault Aviation has delivered today its first Falcon 8X, marking the entry into service of the company's new ultra-long range flagship.
Amjet Executive took delivery of the aircraft at Dassault Aviation's Bordeaux-Merignac facility and is now the first company to operate the Falcon 8X.
The 6,450 nm/11,945 km 8X received its EASA and FAA certification in June and is entering service precisely on schedule, 2 years after it was first announced. Certification followed a month-long round the globe operating test campaign intended to ensure aircraft systems would be fully mature and operational from day one.
"To see our new flagship Falcon handed over right on time in perfect operating order gives us immense pride," said Eric Trappier, Chairman & CEO of Dassault Aviation. "We are very pleased to deliver the first example of this great new aircraft to Amjet, a long time Falcon operator."
Based in Athens, Greece, Amjet offers fleet management, charter, sales and maintenance/repair services and operates a full line of Falcon jets, including the super midsized Falcon 50, the long range Falcon 900EX EASy and the very long range Falcon 7X.
"I am extremely pleased to welcome the new Falcon 8X into our fleet," said Amjet President, Abakar Manany, who was at the controls for the delivery flight. "As a pilot, I can personally vouch for the remarkable handling and piloting qualities of the big new trijet. Its superb performance and cabin comfort will allow us to fill an ever wider range of needs and missions for our exceptionally demanding clientele."
Further deliveries are anticipated over the coming weeks to customers in a dozen countries, from Brazil, the U.S. and Europe, to the UAE and India.
Another 11 aircraft are in final assembly in Mérignac and 16 are being outfitted and painted at our corporate completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Little Rock facility recently underwent a $60 million expansion to enable it to handle the planned influx of Falcon 8X trijets.
A Product Support Program Geared to Ensuring Smooth Entry into Service
Falcon 8X operators benefit from a full package of services put together by Dassault Aviation's product support organization to assist them in taking delivery of their new Falcon jet. The service package is customized to individual operator needs and starts well before the aircraft arrives in customer hands.
Prior to delivery , pilot and maintenance crews are given a full entry into service briefing on the new Falcon jet, tailored to the aircraft type and level of operator Falcon experience. Flight crews' training is dispensed by Dassault partner, FlightSafety International, on a new generation full flight simulator inaugurated in mid-September at the Falcon Training Center in Paris/Le Bourget. Cabin crews and passengers can follow one-day familiarization sessions - tailored to individual aircraft operating requirements - offered in cooperation with Aircare FACTS Training International.
Following delivery, the customer can make use of Dassault pilot operator support services to smooth entry into service. These services include dispatching Dassault test pilots, operational pilots or support engineers to the operator premises to provide support during initial flights or assist crews with special mission requirements.
Throughout the life of the aircraft, customers can rely on Dassault's worldwide network of maintenance, repair and overhaul centers, spare parts centers and GoTeams. The network includes factory owned MRO facilities in Le Bourget, Little Rock, Reno, Nevada, Wilmington, Delaware and Sorocaba Brazil; 45 regional authorized service centers; 15 spares facilities; and FalconResponse, the company's comprehensive portfolio of Aircraft On Ground services that includes the industry's first alternative lift offering.
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About the Falcon 8X: Derived from the Falcon 7X, the Falcon 8X first flew on February 6, 2015. It offers the greatest range and the longest cabin of any Falcon, allowing it to fly passengers comfortably from Beijing to New York, Hong Kong to London or Los Angeles to Moscow nonstop. It also shares the 7X's exceptional operating economy and short-field performance. In addition to the quietest cabin and the most advanced digital flight control system in business aviation, the trijet features the largest selection of standard cabin configurations of any large business jet.
About Dassault Aviation: With more than 8,000 military and civil aircraft delivered to more than 90 countries over the past 60 years, and having logged nearly 28 million flight hours to date, Dassault Aviation can offer recognized know-how and experience in the design, development, sale and support of all types of aircraft, from the Rafale fighter to the Falcon range of high-end business jets, as well as military unmanned air systems. In 2015, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of €4.20 billion. The company has almost 12,000 employees. In 2016, Dassault Aviation is celebrating the first centennial of its history, which started in 1916 with Marcel Dassault and the Éclair propeller.
www.dassault-aviation.com Twitter: @Dassault_OnAir
Press Contacts:
Corporate communication Stéphane Fort Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 11 86 90 stephane.fort@dassault-aviation.com Mathieu Durand Tel.: +33 (0)1 47 11 85 88 mathieu.durand@dassault-aviation.com Falcon communication Vadim Feldzer Tel.: +33 1 47 11 44 13 vadim.feldzer@dassault-aviation.com Marie-Alexandrine Fouillard Tel.: +33 1 47 11 64 23 marie-alexandrine.fouillard@dassault-aviation.com
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