1997 Falcon 2000

• Interior
• Exterior
• Cockpit
• Cabin

1997 Falcon 2000 - Description

It was a bit surprising when Dassault, a French company known for high standards of performance and technological advancement, announced that their next jet would be optimized for economy.  Fortunately, they managed to create the Falcon 2000 without sacrificing their usual high standard of excellence.  The Falcon 2000 is a private jet with a large cabin, transcontinental range, and fast cruise speeds.  It can easily complete nonstop flights such as trips from Miami to Seattle or from Boston to San Francisco.

The cabin of the Dassault Falcon 2000 has a volume of 1,024 cubic feet and usually seats between eight and twelve passengers.  A seating arrangement for as many as 19 passengers can be implemented, if necessary.   In the standard eight-to-twelve seating arrangement, two seats can stretch out flat and combine so that passengers can actually lay down for a nap, just as they would do in a bed.  True to the French sense of style, a wide variety of interior decorating options are available – for example, there are eighteen different metal finishes just for the bathroom sink alone.  134 cubic feet of baggage space is available, which can hold a maximum weight of 1,600 pounds.

Two CFE738 axial-centrifugal flow engines supply the power for the Falcon 2000EX.  They provide 5,918 pounds of thrust apiece, and are flat-rated to improve runway performance at high altitudes and temperatures.  At sea level, the Falcon 2000 can take off in 5,436 feet, but needs 7,656 feet of runway at an altitude of 5,000 feet and a temperature of 77°F.

The Falcon 2000’s high speed cruise is 479 knots at 39,000 feet and its long range cruise is 417 knots at 43,000 feet.  It climbs to 37,000 feet in nineteen minutes.  While carrying eight passengers, it can fly 3,450 miles (3,000 nautical miles) at .80 Mach.

Its cabin is rated to 8.8 psi, meaning it can maintain a sea level cabin at 25,300 feet.

Another earmark of Dassault’s private jets is that they are easy to maintain. This jet comes with fault monitoring and digital diagnostic systems, which help the mechanic in troubleshooting and repair work.  Most parts of the airplane are positioned to be easy for mechanics to reach.  The Falcon 2000 was designed to spend as little downtime in the shop as possible.

The Falcon 2000 was the first private jet that Dassault designed without a physical model.  Its design was completely digital, created by Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application (CATIA) software. This software helped improve aerodynamic structure and simplified the airplane’s systems.

The Falcon 2000 uses the Collins Pro Line 4 fully integrated avionics suite. It centers around four 7.25×7.25 inch display screens. The avionics system was designed to be as functional and simple as possible. Systems are grouped by function, and displays screens are close to the functions they control. The system comes standard with an Allied Signal GNS-XES FMS (Flight Management System), a Collins TWR-850 Doppler  weather radar, and a dual channel Integrated Avionics Processor System (IAPS).

Dassault made a lofty promise when they announced their plans for an economical jet that would still measure up to their standards of excellence – and delivered on it.  Few other private jets can complete trips of 3,450 miles at .80 Mach with eight passengers.  For that matter, few jets offer as much passenger comfort as does the Falcon 2000, like seats that can be configured into beds.  In summary, the Falcon 2000 is a solid private jet with high capabilities and great performance – a good option all around.