Restored Mystere 20 Dassaults Falcon Business Jet family will complete 50 years of operation on May.As a part of celebrations Dassault ...
 |
| Restored Mystere 20 |
The restored Mystère 20 s/n 1 was unveiled last week at the third annual Air & Space Museum Airshow, held at Le Bourget Airport, near Paris. It will next be shown at this year’s Paris Air Show, scheduled for June 17-23, before returning to its permanent home at the Air & Space Museum.
The presentations at Le Bourget marks the 50th anniversary of
the Mystère 20’s first flight on May 4, 1963. Certificated on June 9,
1965, the aircraft - renamed the Fan Jet Falcon 20 at the request of its
first customer, Pan Am – helped usher in a new generation of executive
jets designed specifically for business aviation use.
S/n 1 is being presented in its flight test livery, together with a
banner commemorating the world speed record set on June 10, 1965 by
famed test pilot Jacqueline Auriol. Flying the first production
aircraft, Auriol covered a distance of 1,000 km (600 miles) at an
average speed of 859 km/hr (534 mph), underscoring the Falcon 20’s
exceptional flight performance.
The historic plane was carefully restored by a team of enthusiasts,
IT Mercure, who had earlier refurbished the last active Mercure
airliner, also exhibited at the French Air & Space Museum. The
project, first conceived in 2010, consisted primarily of repairing or
replacing metal parts that had begun to rust away over time - the wing,
air brakes, engine pylons, cowlings, aircraft interior – much of it by
hand.
The airplane proved ideal for special applications, too, helping
establish the Falcon line’s reputation as a premier multi utility aircraft.
Among notable early customers were FedEx founder Fred Smith, who
acquired the Falcon 20 for his then-nascent air express service; the
U.S. Coast Guard; and Europe-Assistance, which adapted it for air
ambulance service.
 |
| Latest Falcon LXS |
As of today, over 2,250 Falcons have been delivered, all featuring
the sleek aerodynamics, outstanding comfort, technological
sophistication and unmatched handling qualities and performance that
have come to characterize the Falcon family. Among the aircraft in the
active fleet are some 300 Falcon 20s – ample testimony to the sound
design and craftsmanship that go into each and every Dassault aircraft.
