Dassault Falcon 2000EX

Eight years following the enormously popular Falcon 2000, aircraft company Dassault debuted the Falcon 2000EX. This aircraft has all the parts that made the 2000 such a success, but improved upon them even more. The 2000EX's cabin is more than 1,000 cubic feet in volume, and can seat from 8 to 12 passengers. As many as 12 passengers could be be seated when necessary, but in the standard seating arrangement, two seats can be combined to make a bed of sorts. True to its French roots, the Dassault comes with plenty of design options.

The Falcon 2000EX is powered by Pratt & Whitney twin PW308C engines, providing 7,000 lbs. of thrust each. The Falcon can take off in 5,585 feet, but at high altitudes, it needs over 8,000 feet of runway space. The EX has a greater fuel capacity than the 2000, but it can be just as economical and it has a greater range. The jet has a cruising speed of 482 knots at 39,000 feet, and can climb to 37,000 feet in 16 minutes. All of Dassault's jets are easy to maintain; they come with digital diagnostic systems and fault monitoring software.

The 2000 was Dassault's first plane designed without physical modeling; the design was all done via CATIA (computer aided three dimensional interactive application) software. This greatly improved the plane's aerodynamic structure and greatly simplified its systems. The jet is equipped with the Collins Pro Line 4 avionics suite, centered around four flat panel displays. The avionics of the 2000EX was designed for functionality and simplicity; systems are grouped according to function.

With all the added functions, it's no wonder that the Falcon is a step ahead of its predecessor. At the time the 2000 was released, there were not many other jets that could fly 3,450 miles at Mach .80 seating eight, and there were scant few that offered the level of passenger comfort of the Falcon 2000. Dassault truly took the success of the Falcon 2000EX and refined it.