Story ID: 566
Dassault Steadily Increasing Global Service Capabilities
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Among the projects is a new U.S. flagship service facility in Florida
Word Count: 544
Like many OEMs, Dassault Aviation has been steadily increasing its global service network, and the company gave AIN a brief update on its recent progress at NBAA-BACE. In May, the manufacturer opened a new major service center under its ExecuJet MRO brand at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW), capable of accommodating up to 15 aircraft.
“For us it's important because it is a place where we will do new aircraft deliveries,” explained Jean Kayanakis, the airframer’s senior v-p for worldwide customer service and service centers. “One of the first [Falcon] 6x operators will be based in the region.”
With the large cabin twinjet receiving certification in August, the technicians at the Dubai facility have already been trained on the 6X.
Due to open in the first half of 2024 is a new maintenance facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, under the company’s subsidiary ExecuJet MRO Services. At approximately 140,000 sq ft the complex will also be able to handle more than a dozen aircraft simultaneously. Plans call for the addition of a paint shop.
Its current smaller facility in Kuala Lumpur offers line maintenance, heavy maintenance, and local AOG support. While it handles aircraft from other manufacturers, more than half its work is now on Falcons and Kayanakis expects that percentage to grow.
In India, the manufacturer recently designated Delhi-based Indamer Aviation as an authorized service center to grow the local Falcon service support there. With 6x deliveries slated for the region, Indamer’s technicians will receive training on the type.
Moving on to the Americas, Dassault Falcon Jet will break ground next month on a new Falcon Center of Excellence in Melbourne, Florida. The 120,000-sq-ft MRO facility will be complemented by a 48,000-sq-ft paint shop and, when completed in the first half of 2025, it will become the OEM’s flagship U.S. maintenance facility.
According to Geoff Chick, the company‘s senior v-p of worldwide service network, the location was chosen due to an abundance of technical talent in the area, as well as a high concentration of Falcons.
Additionally, in Londonderry, New Hampshire, Pro Star Aviation was just added as a Dassault Falcon-authorized service center, bolstering the manufacturer’s support in the Northeastern U.S. Chick noted it has been hiring technicians in an effort to expand shifts at its service facilities in Stuart, Florida; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Reno, Nevada.
Early next year in Brazil, Dassault will relocate its dedicated service center from its small facility at Sorocaba Airport to a larger 40,000-sq-ft hangar—capable of handling Dassault’s under-development flagship Falcon 10x—at the new dedicated business aviation gateway São Paulo Catarina Executive Airport (SBJH). SBJH—which is closer to São Paulo. Catarina offers a more-than 8,000-foot runway and customs service to permit direct international flights.
“With our own MRO network that we have expanded over the last couple of years, we are doing more and more to incorporate aftermarket product and design by Dassault on a worldwide basis,” Kayanakis told AIN. “I would say we’ve been somewhat successful to grow with the expectations of the customer to have the OEM offer a complete MRO solution.”