Dassault Falcon Service celebrates 50th anniversary

Issue: BizAvIndia 4/2017 Photo(s): By Dassault Aviation

Dassault Falcon Service celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, barely a year after the 100 year anniversary of its parent company, Dassault Aviation – a tribute to the key role this wholly-owned subsidiary has played in building the Falcon brand.

Dassault Falcon Service (DFS) was created in 1967, under the name Europe Falcon Service, to provide customers in Europe, Africa and the Middle East with a level of product support on par with the quality of the company’s Falcon Jets.

Today, DFS is the biggest Falcon support organization in the world, with 640 employees, approvals from more than 20 national airworthiness authorities and activities in maintenance, upgrades, FBO services, training and air charter. Its primary maintenance, overhaul and repair (MRO) facility, located at its home base in Paris/Le Bourget, is the largest in the world dedicated exclusively to Falcons, with seven hangars and 25 aircraft bays.

“Since its inception, fifty years ago, DFS has committed itself to optimizing interaction and proximity to Falcon operators and ensuring that they enjoy access to the best and most complete package of support services available in the industry,” said DFS General Manager Jean Kayanakis. “Maximizing customer satisfaction and maintaining ownership value remain our primary objective.”

In October 2016, DFS inaugurated a second MRO center in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, to service the Falcon 7X, 8X and future large body models to come.

DFS operates six Falcon Jets, including two Falcon 7X’s, and flew about 3,600 hours last year, making it one of Europe’s largest Falcon operators. Its Le Bourget FBO, which handles over 5,000 aircraft movements/year, was recently rated number three in Europe by European Business Air News.