Dassault, a French aircraft manufacturer, plans to deliver over 30 Falcon business jets to customers worldwide in 2024. The company is now certifying its future Falcon 10X model, but it has found time to construct a number of existing business jets for diverse customers.
Increasing output rate
Dassault Aviation supplied 31 Dassault Falcon aircraft. Although this fell short of the company’s initial target of 35 deliveries, it was still significantly higher than the 26 aircraft delivered in 2023.
Orders for Dassault’s private and business jets increased last year. The company received orders for 26 Falcon aircraft last year, up significantly from 23 in 2023. As of December 31st, 2024, the backlog included 79 Falcon aircraft that had yet to be delivered, compared to 84 Falcon jets ordered at the end of 2023.
The Falcon 6X, the most recent addition to the manufacturer’s main portfolio, was delivered to its first customer in February 2024. A company spokesperson, speaking exclusively to Simple Flying for this piece, praised the type’s introduction into service as “one of the highlights of the year”:
“The 6X has proven to be highly reliable, allowing for an ambitious demonstration schedule, and has received praise from consumers for its pleasant, smooth ride, bright and quiet interior, and outstanding productivity. The 6X is now being used by consumers in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.
The aircraft is planned to be the most spacious in its class, with 6 feet 6 inches of headroom and 8 feet 6 inches of breadth. The Falcon 6X can carry up to 16 passengers at Mach 0.90 up to 5,500 NM, but it can also make safe approaches at 109 knots, which is slower than most business jets, to small airports with ultra-short and inaccessible runways.
The aircraft obtained FAA and EASA certification in late 2023, and it was just certified in India and Canada. The Falcon 6X demonstrator aircraft has now flown to over 200 destinations in 49 countries, totaling approximately 1,000 hours in the air.
For customers seeking additional range, the Falcon 8X can fly for 14 hours and 6,450 NM nonstop at Mach 0.80 with eight passengers and three crew members. When approved in 2027, the Falcon 10X will be the industry’s largest purpose-built business jet. According to Dassault, the 10X will cruise at Mach 0.925 and fly nonstop for up to 7,500 nautical miles.
Dassault is also still producing the Falcon 2000LXS, the most recent model in its popular 2000 series (which has delivered nearly 700 aircraft). The LXS can accommodate up to ten passengers in widebody comfort and has a range of 4,000 NM.
What about the military aircraft?
The aircraft company also operates a substantial military production facility. In addition to its Falcon commercial aircraft, the firm has supplied an increasing number of fighter fighters.
French warplanes are in the United States to commemorate Lafayette’s return and the long-standing Franco-American relationship.
In 2024, the business delivered 21 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighter jets, somewhat more than the expected 20 deliveries for the year. Fourteen of the aircraft were delivered domestically in France, with the remaining seven being shipped to allied air forces. This is a huge increase in production from 2023, when Dassault supplied 13 Rafale planes, with 11 domestic versions and two exports.
Last year, 30 Rafale jets were ordered, all for export purposes. In 2021, 60 Rafale orders were placed: 42 for France and 18 for the rest of the world. As of December 31st, 2024, the backlog consisted of 220 Rafale aircraft, with 164 for third countries and 56 for France. This is up from 211 outstanding Rafale orders at the same time last year.
Dassault has delivered over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,700 Falcons) to more than 90 countries worldwide.