DASSAULT FALCON 20

The 'Dassault Falcon 20' is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.

Contents

Design and development

Variants

Operators

Military operators

Specifications

References

External links

Related content

Design and development

Marcel Dassault gave the go-ahead for production of an eight or ten seat executive jet or military liaison aircraft the 'Dassault-Breguet Mystére 20' in December 1961. The Mystére 20 was a low-wing monoplane with two rear-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT-12A-8 engines. The prototype, registered F-WLKB, first flew on the 4 May 1963 at Bordeaux-Merignac. Under the influence of Pan American the aircraft was re-engined with two General Electric CF-700 engines and some dimensions were increased. Pan American signed a contract to distribute the Mystére 20 in the western hemisphere and ordered 40 aircraft with options on 120. The re-engined aircraft first flew on 10 July 1964. The first production aircraft flew on 1 January 1965 and both French and American certification was awarded in June 1965. Deliveries began to the Pan American outfitting facility at Burbank Airport, California. In 1966 the company re-designated the American-delivered aircraft as the 'Fan Jet Falcon', this later became the 'Falcon 20'. Military orders from Australia and Canada were received. All non-American aircraft were fitted out before delivery at Bordeaux-Merignac. In 1967 Pan American Business Jets Division increased their firm orders to 160 aircraft.
The improved 'Falcon 200' featured more advanced jet engines and other major improvements to increase range, capacity and comfort. The aircraft proved to be so popular that production did not end until 1988, being superseded by more advanced developments of the Falcon family. The United States Coast Guard operates a model called the 'HU-25 Guardian' which is used as a high-speed spotter aircraft to locate shipwreck survivors and direct slower-moving aircraft and rescue vessels, and interdict aerial and shipborne drug trafficking. Later developments of the Falcon 20 include the smaller Falcom 10 and larger Falcon 50, an improved three-engined development.

Variants

;Mystére/Falcon 20
:Prototype, one built
;Mystére/Falcon 20C
:Initial production version
;Mystére/Falcon 20D
:Higher thrust engines and lower fuel consumption and more fuel capacity.
;Mystére/Falcon 20E
;Higher thrust engines, higher zero fuel weight.
;Mystére/Falcon 20F
:Full leading edge slats and more fuel capacity.
;Falcon 20G
:With Garrett AiResearch ATF306 turbofans
;Falcon 200
:Improved variant
;HU-25A Guardian
:United States Coast Guard version of the Falcon 20G
;CC-117
:Canadian military designation of Falcon 20C from 1970.

Operators

Military operators

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★ Royal Australian Air Force
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★ Belgian Air Force
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★ Royal Canadian Air Force

★ Canadian Armed Forces
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★ French Air Force
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★ Imperial Iranian Air Army

★ Imperial Iranian Air Force

★ Imperial Iranian Navy
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★ Royal Jordanian Air Force
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★ Libyan Arab Air Force (Mirage Weapons Trainer)
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★ Royal Norwegian Air Force
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★ Pakistan Air Force
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★ Syrian Arab Air Force
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★ United States Coast Guard
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Specifications

References

★ HU-25 "Guardian" Medium Range Surveillance Aircraft

★ Falcon Mystere 20 Production History, , Brian, Gates, Midland Counties Publications, 1978,

External links

★ http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=173

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