Dassault Aviation, which presented its Falcon fleet of large cabin, long range business jets - Falcon 7X trijet, the Falcon 5X and the Falcon 2000 models, had a good outing at India Aviation. The French aircraft manufacturer delivered the first of the three Falcon 2000 to Club One Air at Hyderabad.

This is the first of the three pre-owned Falcon 2000 aircraft that have been purchased by Club One Air. The other two are expected to be delivered over the next few weeks. Thierry de Poncins, Director, International Sales, Dassault Falcon said, “The Falcon 2000 is cost-efficient and is already performing well in India. This selection was quite natural! We are very pleased to welcome such a reputable aviation player within our Falcon family.”

Bhupesh Joshi, CEO, Club One Air, on receiving the aircraft said, “We are extremely pleased to be joining the Falcon family and we are sure that the Falcon 2000 will be a huge asset to our fleet and our business. We are looking forward to the expansion of our operations with the addition of the three Falcon 2000 into our fleet.”

Dassault is the Indian market leader for large cabin, long range aircraft, with 22 aircraft currently in service and several more on order. Most of the new aircraft orders are for the longest range Falcon models, capable of flying non-stop to London City Airport from anywhere in India.

The Falcon 2000 twinjet is also popular among Indian customers. Two newly introduced versions, the 3,350 nm (6,200 km) 2000S and the 4,000 nm (7,000 km) 2000LXS, will offer takeoff and landing performance unparalleled among wide-body jets – comparable to much smaller midsize and super midsize models. Like the 7X and the long range Falcon 900LX, the 2000S and LXS were recently approved for operation at London City.

Dassault also showcased its brand new 5,200 nm (9,630 km) Falcon 5X which will offer the largest cabin cross-section of any business jet and the lowest ownership and operating costs in its class. Initial Indian orders for the large body twinjet are expected this year. The 5X is expected to make its first flight in the first quarter of next year with certification planned at the end of 2016.

“We see improving signs of the Indian market which has been slow recently,” remarked Gilles Gautier, Vice President Falcon Sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “India has a real need for expanding business aviation, and we remain bullish about future market prospects.”