Dassault Falcon 20

Dassault Falcon 20. The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French-made business jet developed by Dassault Aviation, a leading manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets, including the Dassault Mirage III and Dassault Rafale. The Falcon 20 was first introduced in 1965 and has since become a popular choice for corporate aviation and private jet owners, including Elon Musk and Warren Buffett. The aircraft has undergone several upgrades and modifications over the years, with input from NASA and European Aviation Safety Agency.

Introduction

The Dassault Falcon 20 was designed to meet the growing demand for business aviation in the 1960s, with companies like IBM and General Electric requiring fast and efficient transportation for their executives. The Falcon 20 was designed to compete with other business jets of the time, including the Gulfstream GII and Learjet 23, and was praised for its aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. The aircraft was also used by military forces, including the French Air Force and United States Air Force, for transportation and reconnaissance missions, similar to the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. The Falcon 20 has also been used by royal families, including the House of Saud and British royal family, for private transportation.

Design and Development

The Dassault Falcon 20 was designed by a team of engineers led by Marcel Dassault, the founder of Dassault Aviation, and was influenced by the design of the Dassault Mystère IV and Dassault Super Étendard. The aircraft features a twinjet design, with two General Electric CF700 engines, and has a cruise speed of over 500 knots. The Falcon 20 was also designed with avionics and electronics from Honeywell International and Rockwell Collins, and has a glass cockpit similar to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. The aircraft has undergone several upgrades and modifications over the years, including the introduction of winglets and thrust reversers, similar to the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.

Operational History

The Dassault Falcon 20 has been used by a variety of operators, including corporate flight departments, charter airlines, and military forces. The aircraft has been used for a range of missions, including executive transportation, medical evacuation, and reconnaissance, similar to the Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye and Lockheed P-3 Orion. The Falcon 20 has also been used by humanitarian organizations, including the Red Cross and United Nations, for disaster relief and humanitarian aid missions, similar to the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and Antonov An-124 Ruslan. The aircraft has been involved in several notable incidents, including a crash in 1979 that killed several high-ranking French government officials, including Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

Variants

The Dassault Falcon 20 has been produced in several variants, including the Falcon 20C, Falcon 20D, and Falcon 20E. The Falcon 20C is a cargo variant, used by FedEx and UPS, while the Falcon 20D is a passenger variant, used by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. The Falcon 20E is a special mission variant, used by NASA and the European Space Agency for space research and satellite launch missions, similar to the Space Shuttle and Ariane 5. The aircraft has also been modified for use as a testbed for new avionics and electronics, similar to the Boeing X-45 and Northrop Grumman X-47B.

Specifications

The Dassault Falcon 20 has a length of over 17 meters, a wingspan of over 16 meters, and a height of over 6 meters. The aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of over 18,000 kilograms and a range of over 4,000 kilometers. The Falcon 20 is powered by two General Electric CF700 engines, each producing over 4,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft has a cruise speed of over 500 knots and a service ceiling of over 40,000 feet, similar to the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 7500.

Operators

The Dassault Falcon 20 has been used by a variety of operators, including corporate flight departments, charter airlines, and military forces. The aircraft is used by French Air Force, United States Air Force, and Royal Air Force, as well as by private companies like IBM and General Electric. The Falcon 20 is also used by humanitarian organizations, including the Red Cross and United Nations, for disaster relief and humanitarian aid missions, similar to the Boeing 747 and Antonov An-225 Mriya. The aircraft has been operated by several notable individuals, including Elon Musk and Warren Buffett, for private transportation. Category:Aircraft