Dassault Falcon Service (DFS), a subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, on 10th November inaugurated its new maintenance facility in Bordeaux-Mérignac intended to meet the increase in repair and overhaul services for the Falcon 7X and other new Falcon models.
Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman/CEO, and Jean Kayanakis, DFS General Manager, oversaw the ceremony attended by a host of local, regional and national dignitaries, including Alain Juppé, President of the Bordeaux Metropolitan Area, Alain Rousset, President of the Regional Council, Alain Anziani, the Senator-Mayor of Mérignac and Marie Recalde, Member of Parliament and member of the Defense Committee. The event was also attended by representatives of government agencies and of the Aquitaine regional economy.
Located at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, adjacent to the Dassault Aviation assembly plant, the new complex will add 49,000 sq. meters of additional Maintenance Repair & Overhaul (MRO) space, including a 7,200 sq. meter hangar, and will be capable of accommodating up to six Falcon 7X, 8X or 5X aircraft at a time. It will complement DFS’s existing installations which have been located at Le Bourget airport near Paris since 1967.
“This additional capacity will permit DFS to keep up with the steady growth in the Falcon fleet, which currently numbers 2,100 aircraft worldwide and is expected to expand significantly with the arrival of the Falcon 8X, which started deliveries last month.” said Eric Trappier.
Jean Kayanakis added: “We are extremely proud of this new MRO complex and the speed with which it was built. Building permission was granted in July 2015, followed by groundbreaking in October and delivery of the building in September 2016. The first Falcon arrived on site on October 17 and was returned to its owner on October 28.”
The immediate priority of the new facility will be to handle the expected C Checks ramp-up for the Falcon 7X. The 7X fleet leaders are now approaching their first heavy maintenance check, scheduled once an aircraft reaches eight years of service. More than 250 aircraft are now in operation.
The facility is also designed to handle a range of other scheduled maintenance activities besides C Checks, including structural repair, cabin refurbishment and modifications, avionics upgrades, carpentry and paintwork.
DFS Mérignac is able to draw on engineering resources and specialists from the nearby Dassault Aviation assembly plant and other companies in the surrounding area. The new facility is also expected to boost employment in the region.
