The Falcon 900 Series
With exceptional performance and greater comfort than many others in its class, the large cabin Falcon 900 is a treat to fly on. Its success has spurred development of even larger and longer range models from the French manufacturer.
Dassault Aviation traces its roots back to 1929. For three decades it produced only military aircraft. Then, in the early 1960s it started to turn its attention to business aircraft. Production of the Falcon 20 began as a response to a French government request for a military liaison and trainer aircraft. The super-midsize Falcon 50, the first three-engine business jet, was in service by 1980. It had the distinction of being one of the few mid-size business aircraft with trans-continental capabilities at the time.
The large cabin Falcon 900 is a development of the Falcon 50, adding a wider cabin, and retaining the unique tri-jet design while increasing range up to 4,750 nautical miles (over 5,400 miles). This enables the aircraft to operate at full capacity between Europe and major points in North America in both directions without a fuel stop. The Falcon 900’s range gives it an advantage over other large cabin business jets in its class.
Range is only part of the story behind this versatile business aircraft. With three-engine power and lightweight design, the Falcon 900 gets into and out of many airports with short runways that otherwise handcuff other large cabin twin engine business jets . It even burns less fuel, roughly 40% less when compared to competitors.
Dassault Aviation photo
The cabin of the Falcon 900 is quite comfortable, with a nearly 8 foot cross section, and over 6 foot high ceiling. A hallmark of the larger Falcons, there are 24 closely-spaced windows that help fill the cabin with abundant natural light. The aircraft seats between 12 and 14 passengers. Typical arrangements are a single club seating area up front, followed by a four-place conference seating area, and two divans at the rear (or one divan and additional single seats). The rear cabin section can be closed off creating additional privacy. Seats can convert to beds allowing the Falcon 900 to sleep 5. The galley on the Falcon 900 is slightly smaller than on some other large cabin business jets but gets the job done with hot and cold running water, a convection/microwave oven, ice drawer and stowage areas. A unique feature, cabin environmental and entertainment controls are located within each seat’s armrests, allowing passengers to seamlessly adjust settings from the comfort of their seat.
A comfortable ride high above the weather is ensured as the Falcon 900 can reach an altitude of 51,000 feet, well above the commercial traffic. The aircraft can also reach speeds of up to Mach .85, or 85% of the speed of sound.
There have been 5 variants of the Falcon 900 since inception in the mid 1980s. These include the 900EX which is a longer range version of the original model that entered service in the late 1990s, and the current in-production model the 900LX.
Video credit: AINtv
Dassault Falcon 900LX
Passengers (typical): 12
Cabin Height: 6.2 ft
Cabin Width: 7.7 ft
Cabin Length: 39.0 ft
Baggage Vol: 127 cu ft
Avg Cruising Speed: 459 KTAS
Max Cruise Altitude: 51,000 ft
Range Full: 4,800 NM
Lavatory: Yes
Galley: Yes
Falcon 900LX
Dassault Falcon 900/ 900DX / 900EX
Passengers (typical): 12
Cabin Height: 6.2 ft
Cabin Width: 7.7 ft
Cabin Length: 39.0 ft
Baggage Vol: 127 cu ft
Avg Speed: 456 / 459 KTAS
Max Cruise Altitude: 51,000 ft
Range Full: 3,590 NM / 4,100 NM/ 4,500 NM
Lavatory: Yes
Galley: Yes