Dassault Falcon 900

Development

The Falcon 900 is a development of the Falcon 50, itself a development of the earlier Falcon 20. The Falcon 900 airframe design incorporates composite materials.

Other models include the Falcon 900-B, featuring an increased range, and the Falcon 900EX featuring other improvements in engines and range and an all-glass flight deck. The Falcon 900C is a companion to the Falcon 900EX and replaces the Falcon 900B. Later versions are the Falcon 900EX EASy, and the Falcon 900DX. At EBACE 2008, Dassault announced another development of the 900 series: the Falcon 900LX, incorporating high mach blended winglets designed by Aviation Partners Inc.

In 2023, the 900LX equipped price was $44.7 million.

Operational service

In France, the Falcon 900 is used by the Transport Squadron 60 (Transportation, Training and Calibration Squadron 65), which is in charge of transportation for officials in France.

Variants

;Falcon 900 :Announced in 1984, original production. Powered by three 20 kN Garrett TFE731-5AR-1C turbofan jet engines. It was certified in 1986 by French and U.S. aviation authorities. ;Falcon 900 MSA :Maritime patrol version for Japan Coast Guard; this variant is equipped with search radar and a hatch for dropping rescue stores. ;Falcon 900B :Revised production version from 1991, ;Falcon 900C :Replacement for 900B, introduced in 2000. ;Falcon 900EX :Long range version with 22.24 kN engines; this variant features TFE731-60 engines, with a range of 4500 nmi. Avionics by Honeywell Primus. It entered service in 1996. ;Falcon 900EX EASy :Long range version produced from 2004 to 2009; fitted with Honeywell / Dassault Primus Epic EASy avionics. TFE731-60 engines. ;Falcon 900DX :Shorter-range production type with TFE731-60 engines. ;Falcon 900LX :Current production variant of EX fitted with blended winglets; range of 4750 nmi. ;Envoy IV :Royal Air Force military designation for the 900LX. ;VC-900A :Italian military designation for the 900EX. ;VC-900B :Italian military designation for the 900EX EASy.

Operators

Civil operators

A wide range of private owners, businesses, and small airlines operate Falcon 900s. ;Libya

• Government owned (registration number 5A-DCN) ;Qatar
• Qatar Amiri Flight ;Saudi Arabia
• Saudia Private Aviation

Military operators

;

• Bolivian Air Force - 900EX (registration FAB-001) is presidential aircraft ;
• French Air and Space Force ;
• Bundesnachrichtendienst (Federal Intelligence Service) ;
• Italian Air Force - operates five Falcon 900EX since 2005 ;
• Japan Coast Guard ;
• Namibian Air Force ;
• Nigerian Air Force ;
• Portuguese Air Force ;
• President of Russia ;
• South African Air Force ;
• Spanish Air and Space Force ;
• Swiss Air Force - 900EX EASy II ;
• Syrian Air Force ;
• United Arab Emirates Air Force ;
• Royal Air Force
  • 32 (The Royal) Squadron - two civilian-registered 900LXs operated under civil contract from March 2022, full military from 2026. ;
• Venezuelan Air Force

Former operators

;

• Algerian Air Force ;
• Royal Australian Air Force - five in service from 1989-2003
  • No. 34 Squadron RAAF ;
• Belgian Air Component - one was in use until 2019 for VIP transport ;
• Gabon Air Force ;
• Government of Greece ;
• Government of Malawi - a Falcon 900EX purchased in 2009 as a presidential jet, sold in 2013
• Military of Malawi ;
• Royal Malaysian Air Force ;
• Government of Monaco - replaced by a Falcon 7X

Accidents and incidents

• On 14 September 1999, Olympic Airways Flight 3838, a Falcon 900B (registered SX-ECH) operating for the Hellenic Air Force by Olympic Airways, was descending to land at Bucharest, Romania, when the autopilot disengaged and several pilot-induced oscillations occurred. The impact of unfastened passengers with the cabin and aircraft furniture resulted in fatal injuries to seven passengers, serious injuries to two, and minor to another two. Among the victims was Giannos Kranidiotis, then deputy foreign minister for Greece.
• On 13 February 2021, a Falcon 900EX corporate jet (N823RC) experienced a landing gear collapse after an aborted takeoff at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, California. Although the aircraft sustained significant damage, all five occupants on board escaped without injuries. The flight crew explained that during the takeoff attempt, the captain applied back pressure to the control yoke, but the nose failed to rotate to a takeoff position. After multiple attempts, the captain decided to reject the takeoff by reducing thrust and applying maximum brakes. As a result, the aircraft overshot the runway and the landing gear collapsed upon reaching a gravel pad. The NTSB investigation revealed that the captain did not possess a valid pilot certificate due to an emergency revocation by the FAA two years earlier. This revocation occurred because the captain had falsified logbook entries and records for pilot proficiency checks, competency checks, and training events while serving as a check pilot for a Part 135 operator.

Specifications (Falcon 900B)

|prime units?=met |max takeoff weight kg=20640

References

References

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9. (1999). "Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000 Edition". Brassey's.
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11. "Falcon 900LX performance". [[Dassault Falcon]].
12. "Envoy IV CC1". [[Royal Air Force]], Ministry of Defence.
13. "UTILIZZO DELLA NOMENCLATURA "MISSION DESIGN SERIES" (MDS) NELLE PUBBLICAZIONI TECNICHE (PPTT) DI COMPETENZA DELLA DAA".
14. (August 2010). "New Bolivian Presidential Transport".
15. "Official website Aeronautica Militare".
16. (February 2023). "Falcon 900 com callsign da equadra 504".
17. "Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy II".
18. Cartlidge, James. (13 February 2024). "Military Aircraft".
19. (5 September 2013). "Malawi sells presidential jet".
20. "RMAF Retires Falcon 900 VIP Jet".
21. "ASN aircraft accident 14-SEP-1999 Dassault Falcon 900B SX-ECH".
22. Bouskanoudis, Tony. (2008-04-16). "Greek Falcon trial raises thorny issues". Aviation International News.
23. "ASN aircraft accident Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy N823RC San Diego-Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, CA (MYF)".