Dassault Highlights Service Center Expansion, New Spares Facility

Dassault Aviation is embarking on an ambitious expansion of its global customer service network including new and expanded spare parts facilities and additional service centers, intended to further enhance the quality and timeliness of Falcon aftermarket support.

This month, Dassault starts work on a vast new spares facility north of Paris, strategically positioned between Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget airports that will improve the speed and efficiency of spare parts shipments to Falcon customers throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. It will replace existing facility at Le Bourget and complement a large spares complex in Teterboro, New Jersey.  

"Optimizing the customer experience has always been our top priority at Dassault," said Jacques Chauvet, Senior VP Worldwide Customer Service. "Our ability to get spare parts out to customers as fast as possible has made us the industry standard."

The $50 million, 18,000 square meter (194,000 sq ft) facility will feature the latest advancements in logistics and warehousing technologies, including a new spares management system designed to speed up parts dispatch and provide ample room for future growth. The complex is due to enter service in late 2018. 

The new measures follow the installation of a new spares inventory facility at Vnukovo Airport in Moscow and the expansion of the existing store of spare parts in Louisville, Kentucky, the most centrally located Falcon warehouse in the U.S.

Dassault currently maintains more than $870 million in spare parts inventory at 15 locations around the globe. In a recent survey, customers voted Dassault first among business jet OEMS for spares availability and pricing.

Service Center Footprint Grows

In parallel with the spares network expansion, the company recently named Skyservice Toronto as an Authorized Service Center, after selecting Aero Dienst Vienna and Hawker Pacific Malaysia earlier in the year. Dassault also recently added a satellite service center in Libreville, Gabon.

Customers can now call on 53 service centers, 35 technical offices and more than 100 field reps who help support the 2,100 in-service aircraft in the global Falcon fleet.

These moves come as the company's wholly owned Dassault Falcon Service affiliate celebrates its 50th anniversary. The event, barely a year after the 100th anniversary of Dassault Aviation, bears witness to the key role DFS has played in building the Falcon brand.

Extended Service Intervals to Minimize Downtime

Dassault also continues to enhance its portfolio of aftermarket products and services to increase aircraft availability and keep older models up to date, helping operators save time and money, minimizing service disruptions and maximizing resale value.

In particular, the company continues to pursue its critical maintenance interval extension program. A 50% extension for 1A/2A inspections, to 12 months, will be applied to the Falcon 2000 line this month and to the Falcon 900 series before the end of the year. Next year, the interval for 3A/4A inspections for the Falcon 7X will be extended by 30%, to 48 months. 

1A/2A extensions for the Falcon 7X and Falcon 50EX have already been implemented.

Upgrading Legacy Falcons to the Newest Standards

Dassault is also actively supporting upgrades that help operators add onboard operating capabilities and keep their aircraft up to the latest operating standard. Among the newest STCs on offer are the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 family of avionics upgrade solutions that uses new capabilities in display, sensor and flight management technology for 50EX, 2000 and 2000EX models, and the Honeywell JetWave Ka-band high-speed broadband system, which allows operators to remain continuously connected in flight as if they were in their home or office.

Other examples of well-received product support enhancements include Falcon Immersive Training, a new 3D tool designed to facilitate hands-on training of Falcon maintenance technicians, and FalconResponse, Dassault's portfolio of AOG services, with its first-of-its-kind alternate lift offering. Almost half of airborne support missions utilize the alternate lift offering, which allows passengers stranded by an AOG to complete their journey in a timely fashion. Equipped with a pair of dedicated Falcon 900 jets, FalconResponse has flown nearly 400 missions since it was launched two years ago.