Airtest – Dassault Falcon 200

Mystere Falcon 200 F-GATF was recently flown to Sydney as part of an appetite-whetting mission taking it almost halfway round the world. The sortie was mounted by FalconJet in Teterboro, New Jersey, with the Australasian sector being administered by Hawker Pacific Pty. Ltd.

While letting no cats out of any bags, FalconJet and Hawker Pacific executives admit to having had quite a few firm ‘bites’ from either existing corporate jet users and/or military observers during the Australian sector.

And no wonder; the new Falcon 200 is a magnificent aircraft, a long-life product which has range, performance, comfort and just about everything else going for it.

Classified as a long-range medium-sized business jet, the Falcon 200 boasts a range of fully 2,600 n. m. , giving the user a red-carpet ride into Asia from most Australian airports.

Specific Australian operational advantages provided by the Falcon 200 include an impressive hot-and-high performance thanks to those two Garrett reverse-flow turbofans, each capable of delivering a superb 5200 lbs thrust; a balanced field length of 4650 ft thanks to leading-edge wingroot design; and the ability to operate from gravel when an optional gravel kit is installed.

With a ten-year airframe warranty and unlimited life on many parts including the gentle knee-action main undercarriage, it’s little wonder that prospective buyers will be looking for about $A7. 8 million to spend.

The basic philosophy behind the birth of the Falcon 200 is the continuance and enhancement of an already enviable reputation among the world’s aircraft manufacturers.

Dassault builds the Falcon line literally alongside military types, which themselves demand minimal tolerances in part mating.

That same painstaking and expert exactness is carried on in the Falcon line. That’s why they are billed as one of the world’s safest and fastest aircraft – and why they command what appears to be at first glance a high price.

Dassault takes pains to point out this enviable almost MilSpec tolerance in the construction of parts; take the wing for example, they say. Each panel is milled from a solid block of aluminium, making stringers and stiffeners integral to each wing plank without riveting.

This, naturally, makes for a stronger wing and allows a hairsbreadth accuracy.

One of the major differences between the Falcon 200 and its older sisters is performance. On top of that, old-type mechanical relays have given way to solid-state linkages, there are two independent and redundant hydraulic systems, and a deal of thought and brilliant design modifications without extravagant tooling-up have gone into the main cabin layout.

The Falcon 200 was certified in France in June 1982, this being followed by the US FAA certificate the following month. Since then the prototype 200 has logged at least 250 flight hours during global demonstrations before taking off for its Australia and Far East sortie last November.

During this tour, two things have been plugged with justifiable pride; the mighty Garrett ATF3-6 fanjets incorporating a high-efficiency E-6 fan. And an increased lift/drag ratio thanks to the addition of a new wing-root fillet called a Karman.

Little wonder that Dassault claims that the Falcon 200 is well on its way to creating a whole new legend in corporate aviation, and why the marketing team flying with F-GATF speaks about their product with such confidence.

State-of-the-art hydraulics, electrical, fuel and pressurisation/ air conditioning systems are all part of this new offering on the world market by Dassault.

At the time of writing, Dassault was the only manufacturer able to offer the revolutionary Garrett ATF3-6 engines on any business jet.

Born in the days of America’s Compass Cope APV (Remotely Piloted Vehicle) programme and fitted to a Service drone, the initial AFT3-6 first flew in 1972 and set several endurance and reliability records.

Low operating cost was another feature unmasked during those Compass Cope days.

The US Coast Guard, looking for reliable powerplants for over-water operations, plus an apt airframe, awarded a contract for forty-one ATF-3-powered Dassault Falcons. That was in early 1977.

And now those same type powerplants’ updates have been chosen to urge the sleek Falcon 200 to commercial success . . .

The Garrett ATF3-6, in detail, is a modern technology, three spool high bypass fanjet, both fuel-efficient and exceptionally quiet.

It features an innovative reverse-flow combustor design and has exhibited tolerance during certification to various foreign objects from sand and gravel, to hail, water and ice slabs.

It can even put out a 75 per cent thrust level after ingesting two 1. 5 lb birds. . .

Modular construction played a large part in designing this brilliant engine; this in turn means easy access and replacement.

Garrett has developed a new-design fan blade for the ATF3-6, and the spinner diameter has been reduced to get better specific flow plus getting a better Mach number.

The engines on Australian Aviation’s evaluation Falcon 200 had each logged about 300 trouble-free hours when the aircraft landed in Sydney.

The airframe had about 700 hours on it.

According to FalconJet and Hawker Pac executives who formed part of the ‘heavy’ team travelling with the prototype, the production Falcon 200 will appear in North America about next March.

Among modifications to look for in the production series will be a bigger rear baggage/cargo door, we were told.

But the rest of the Falcon 200 will stay basically the same.

As far as corporate comfort is concerned, there’s no need for a change. The evaluation Falcon 200 was fitted out in resplendent antique red velour and polished wood veneer, with old-time Breguet aircraft portraits adorning the outboard cabin walls (we thought we spotted a print of Guynemer’s Spad with its distinctive stork emblem on the side, in one picture), and literally everything that opens and shuts.

The capacious cabin has almost stand-up height (67 ins), plenty of legroom and width (71 ins from side to side), and 23 ft 10 in of length from the cockpit separator to the aft bulkhead.

According to Dassault information, proposed interior fittings include a private loo with vanity (fitted on the prototype), an electric flushing toilet with overboard service, a forrard galley. . . just about the lot; even a jump seat which, we were told, is a certified seat for take-off and landing.

There is already more than ample space for coats and baggage.

The evaluation aircraft was also fitted with an in-flight telephone and a video system for in-flight use. The useful load for this thoroughbred is given as 12,137 lbs, with a maximum ramp weight of 30,650 lbs. The same figure is max. for take-off.

When considering the Falcon 200, Dassault’s team thought about a fully supercritical wing, but discarded this in favour of a wing-fence cleanup (the Falcon 200’s wing-fence is significantly smaller than the earlier Falcon 20) and the wing and fuselage join area.

The result has been an enhancement in balanced field length and eminently satisfying handling performance.

The leading edge slats have been changed in operation; with pleasant stall characteristics in mind, Dassault catered for a lengthened aft c. of g. by arranging for the inboard slats to retract when the angle of attack reaches 22 degrees.

That occurs when the aircraft is configured for landing with Fowler flaps down and inboard and outboard slats extended. What happens when that 22 degrees is reached is that the inboard slats clunk back in, and the Falcon 200 is given a precise nose-down pitching moment, even with a fully aft centre of gravity and the pilot pulling like a man possessed on the stick.

There is talk at this stage of aerodynamicising the Falcon 200’s wingtips, but AUSTRALIAN AVIATION hasn’t heard anything about that.

The Falcon 200’s fuselage is basically Falcon 20 as far back as the rear pressure bulkhead. Beyond that, there’s a flatter bulkhead to give more space for fuel and an unpressurised but heated aft baggage compartment. Don’t forget there’s a bigger baggage door destined for the production Falcon 200.

The aft fuselage had to be redesigned to take those beautifully efficient Garretts, too; and the Solar T40 APU.

The cabin in our evaluation aircraft was fitted to take nine passengers, and we had an extra body in the jump seat plus two crew.

Despite this full human load, we were respectably below max. Take-off weight of 30,650 lbs, tipping the scales at 27,000 lbs. The outside air temperature was + 22 C, which gave V1, Vr and V2 at 115, 117 and 118 knots respectively.

Cockpit familiarisation for Falcon 50 pilots transitioning to the 200 should be easy; there’s a distinct family resemblance between the Falcon 50 and Falcon 200 layouts, including fuel management systems. Fuel, incidentally, is tanked and not bladdered, and is carried in integral tanks with a total capacity of 10,623 lbs.

The ‘family’ resemblance between 50 and 200 goes as far as hydraulics, electrical, fuel and environmental systems.

During taxi out we digested various other information; such as a Falcon 200 simulator being already in the pipeline; Dassault is offering a Government-backed financial package to customers these days, making a very attractive deal indeed; maximum cabin pressurisation is a robust 8. 3 psi differential, to enable the Falcon 200 to get up there where speed/fuel/range equations become really workable.

On take-off, the Falcon 200 is an exhilarating steed, and it climbs like the proverbial monkey. Even with our load and a fairly high temperature, we were at 2000 ft over the end of Sydney’s Botany Bay runway and going up like a silent rocket.

A lot of our sortie was at a relatively low-level, for the benefit of a Baron chase aircraft.

With senior skipper Fred Westerberg flying lefthand seat, the Falcon 200 proved as tractable and docile at the slow-speed end of the flight envelope as it did later in cruise at Flight Level 250.

On the way up to that height, and with readouts showing a climb rate of 2800 fpm, N1 at 94. 6 per cent on both Garretts, ITT at an average 935°, N2 at 93 per cent a side, and N3 at 95 per cent, we were trueing out at 326 knots.

We also had time to admire the multitudinous Collins black boxes and recall Dassault’s claim that the Falcon 200 follows in line with that company’s reputation for structural integrity.

There’s no life limits set by the FAA on all major structural components – the only bizjet to enjoy that reputation.

Our stay at FL 250 was all too brief but gave us a chance to gently handle the Falcon 200 at altitude. (‘We’re too low to show you the full benefit of this aircraft,’ was the laconic claim from Fred in the lefthand seat. )

Even with most settings sitting around the 80 per cent mark, we were trueing out at a very satisfying 410 knots. . .

Control feel is firm, yet infinitely precise; a tribute to aerodynamics and the Arthur-Q system which normalises the feel at any speed.

The hydraulically boosted controls are backed up by a manual reversing system.

Back in the main cabin, noise levels were among the lowest the AUSTRALIAN AVIATION has experienced for some years, in piston, turboprop or jet corporate types.

The entire atmosphere was conducive to typical Board Room conversation levels, and an ability to work in flight if one had papers to study or decisions over which to ponder.

Sydney asked us, on the way back from Singleton, how fast we could go in a descent, as the ‘windows’ for arrivals and departures were apparently a little tight. ‘How fast d’you want?’ asked Fred. ‘What about 300?’ said Sydney. ‘OK, 300 but we can give you 370 if you want it,’ replied Fred.

Sydney was almost ecstatic, and we initiated a rapid descent with the VSI wrapping itself around the stop and 370 showing on the clock.

The Falcon 200 is just as much a lady on finals as she is on climb-out and cruise. With moderate braking, we bettered the carded landing distance of 2575 ft by a handsome margin. Reversers are an optional fitting for the Garretts, we understand. They weren’t fitted on the demonstration Falcon 200.

Looking over the figures after this evaluation, it appeared obvious to us that the Falcon 200 is much more than an aircraft capable of non-stopping from Perth to Sydney; most corporate types claim this and it doesn’t prove much apart from showing that if any businessman wants to fly from Perth to Sydney without stopping, he can do it, with assist from the prevailing winds.

The Falcon 200 has the flexibility to perform in all types of operating conditions, and return a tangible bottom-line result at the end of a financial year, used properly.

And it has the ability to perform as a long-life product, keeping overhauls down to a minimum without jeopardising safety.

Falcon series aircraft are distributed and supported by Hawker Pacific Pty. Ltd. , part of the biggest aerospace group in Australasia. Hawker Pacs claim that their network of service centres and large spare parts holdings ensure that the Falcon 200 and its confreres will get maximum service after the sale.

Hawker Pacific has got into the financial package act to the extent that the company states that low-interest export funding (13. 5 per cent at the time of writing this evaluation) can be arranged for buyers of Falcon jets.

It’s safe to predict that the Falcon 200, with its proven 2,600 nautical miles range at max. range settings will give the market a nasty nudge, even in these stringent times. Most companies work to a five-year plan and FalconJet and Hawker Pacific do the same . . .