Dassault Aviation has outlined its latest moves as it continues to expand and modernise its global MRO network and to direct more resources towards authorised service facilities.
Since 2019, the network has approximately doubled in size, to 40 wholly owned factory service locations and 21 authorised facilities. Dassault shared that more and more of these facilities are being equipped to perform major inspections and upgrades closer to customers while ensuring a uniformly high standard.
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.
Some of the recent steps Dassault has taken to further strengthen MRO support include the opening in Dubai, UAE, of a major new ExecuJet MRO facility able to handle the latest and largest Falcons, as well as other brands. The new 15,000m² facility at the new Al Maktoum International Airport (Dubai World Central) 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 AOG service at Dubai International Airport.
In Malaysia, a new ExecuJet MRO facility is well under construction and is scheduled to open at Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur in early 2024. The new 12,000m² 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.
In Melbourne, Florida, a new MRO facility, with a capacity for 15 aircraft, is scheduled to open in early 2025. The 12,000m² facility will service aircraft from North and South America and will include a paint shop. The Melbourne facility brings new capacity to the Eastern US market, which has a high concentration of Falcon aircraft.
Falcon operators now have a new authorised service centre to choose from in India – Indamer, located at Indira Ghandi International Airport in New Delhi. The facility will be the third in India, with two other sites in Mumbai.
In other news, 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.
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,” said Jean Kayanakis, SVP, worldwide Falcon customer service and service centre network. “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.”
