The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French
business jet
A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people. Business jets may be adapted for other roles, such as the evacuation of casualties or express parcel deliveries, and some are used by pu ...
developed and manufactured by
Dassault Aviation. The first business jet developed by the firm, it became the first of a family of business jets to be produced under the same name; of these, both the smaller
Falcon 10 and the larger
trijet
A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technolog ...
Falcon 50 were direct derivatives of the Falcon 20.
Initially known as the Dassault-Breguet Mystère 20, approval to proceed with development of the aircraft was issued during December 1961. It is a low-wing
monoplane design, powered by a pair of rear-mounted
General Electric CF700 turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanical ...
engines. On 4 May 1963, the prototype made its maiden flight. The first production aircraft was introduced on 3 June 1965. On 10 June 1965, French aviator
Jacqueline Auriol
Jacqueline Auriol (5 November 1917, Challans, Vendée – 11 February 2000) was a French aviator who set several world speed records.
Biography
Born in Challans, Vendée, the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder, Edmond Pierre Douet, she graduate ...
achieved the women's world speed record using the first prototype.
As a result of an early distributor arrangement with American airline
Pan American (Pan Am), American-delivered aircraft were marketed under the name ''Fan Jet Falcon''; it soon became popularly known as the ''Falcon 20''. American orders proved valuable early on; by 1968, Pan Am Business Jets Division had placed orders for 160 Falcon 20s. Further major orders were soon placed for the type by several operators, both civil and military; amongst others, these included the
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in th ...
, the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
, and
Federal Express.
An improved model of the aircraft, designated the ''Falcon 200'', was developed. This variant, powered by a pair of
Garrett ATF3
The Garrett ATF3 (US military designation F104) is a 3-spool turbofan engine developed at the California division of Garrett AiResearch. Due to mergers it is currently supported by Honeywell Aerospace. The engine is unusual as the core flow path ...
engines, featured several major improvements to increase its range, capacity, and comfort. Additionally, a number of Falcon 20s that had been originally powered by the CF700 engines were later re-engined with
Garrett TFE731 turbofan
The turbofan or fanjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used in aircraft propulsion. The word "turbofan" is a portmanteau of "turbine" and "fan": the ''turbo'' portion refers to a gas turbine engine which achieves mechanical ...
engines. The aircraft proved to be so popular that production did not end until 1988, when it had been superseded by more advanced developments of the Falcon family. Due to the increasing implementation of
noise-abatement regulations, the Falcon 20 has either been subject to restrictions on its use in some nations, or been retrofitted with Stage 3 noise-compliant engines or
hush kits upon its non-compliant engines. The type has also been used as a flying test bed and aerial laboratory by a number of operators, including
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...
and
Draken Europe. In November 2012, a Falcon 20 had the distinction of becoming the first civilian jet to fly on 100%
biofuel.
Development
Origins
During the 1950s and 1960s, the French government, which had taken a significant interest in the re-establishment and growth of its national aviation industries in the aftermath of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, developed a detailed request for a combined
liaison/
trainer aircraft, to be equipped with twin-turbofan engines.
Among those companies that took interest in the government request was French aircraft manufacturer
Dassault Aviation. In December 1961, French aircraft designer and head of Dassault Aviation,
Marcel Dassault, gave the go-ahead to proceed with work towards the production of an eight- to 10-seat
executive jet/military liaison aircraft, which was initially named as the ''Dassault-Breguet Mystère 20''.
The emerging design was of a low-wing monoplane, which drew upon the aerodynamics of the
transonic Dassault Mystère IV fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, ...
, and was equipped with a pair of rear-mounted
Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, ...
engines.
[Block, Thomas H]
"Foreign Accent: Two French Jets to Go."
''Flying
Flying may refer to:
* Flight, the process of flying
* Aviation, the creation and operation of aircraft
Music
Albums
* ''Flying'' (Grammatrain album), 1997
* ''Flying'' (Jonathan Fagerlund album), 2008
* ''Flying'' (UFO album), 1971
* ''Fl ...
'', April 1973. Vol. 92, No. 4. ISSN 0015-4806. p. 20.
On 4 May 1963, the Mystère 20 prototype, registered ''F-WLKB'', conducted its
maiden flight from
Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport,
Gironde
Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1, ...
, France. By this stage, attention in the programme was centered around the commercial opportunities for the type, particularly the large North American market.
According to aerospace publication
''Flying'', while Dassault had achieved satisfactory technical progress on the Mystère 20, it was recognised even by the company's officials that the firm lacked both the sales presence and the experience to effectively market the type to English-speaking nations. Accordingly, the option of directly selling the type was discarded in favour of seeking an established US distributor.
Coincidentally, management at Pan Am happened to be seeking a suitable aircraft to launch its planned corporate jet aircraft sales division, and following a review of a range of available business jets of the era, took an interest in the Mystère 20.
Progress between Dassault and Pan Am was rapid, moving from engineering evaluations of the type to the formation of general agreements between the two companies.
In response to feedback received from Pan American, the aircraft was re-engined with a pair of
General Electric CF700 engines and several dimensions were increased. Accordingly, Pan American formed an agreement with Dassault to distribute the Mystère 20 in the western hemisphere; the firm placed an initial order for 40 aircraft along with options for a further 120. On 10 July 1964, the re-engined aircraft made its first flight. On 1 January 1965, the first production aircraft performed its maiden flight; in June 1965, both French and American
type certifications were awarded. On 10 June 1965, French aviator
Jacqueline Auriol
Jacqueline Auriol (5 November 1917, Challans, Vendée – 11 February 2000) was a French aviator who set several world speed records.
Biography
Born in Challans, Vendée, the daughter of a wealthy shipbuilder, Edmond Pierre Douet, she graduate ...
achieved the women's world speed record using the first Mystère 20 prototype, having flown at an average recorded speed of 859 km/h over a distance of 1000 km.
Deliveries of the type soon commenced to Pan American's outfitting facility at
Burbank Airport,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
. All non-American aircraft were fitted out prior to delivery at
Bordeaux-Merignac. During 1966, the company redesignated the American-delivered aircraft as the ''Fan Jet Falcon''; this was subsequently shortened to the ''Falcon 20''. During 1967, Pan Am Business Jets Division decided to increase their firm orders for the type to 160 Falcon 20s. Military orders for the type were quickly received from Australia, the U.S., and Canada, in addition those placed by France.
Further development
A number of Falcon 20s that had been originally powered by CF700 engines were later re-engined with
Garrett TFE731 engines under AMD-BA Service Bulletin No. 731. To distinguish these re-engined aircraft from those still using the original powerplant, they were redesignated with a "-5" suffix inserted after the model number. Volpar Inc. was involved in a program to re-engine the Falcon 20 with the
Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305 engines; however, work on the program was abandoned before a
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA) STC was awarded.
An improved model of the aircraft, designated the ''Falcon 200'', was developed, which featured more advanced jet engines and other major improvements to increase range, capacity, and comfort. The Falcon 200, along with the Falcon 20G and HU-25 models, were powered by a pair of
Garrett ATF3
The Garrett ATF3 (US military designation F104) is a 3-spool turbofan engine developed at the California division of Garrett AiResearch. Due to mergers it is currently supported by Honeywell Aerospace. The engine is unusual as the core flow path ...
engines. According to the magazine ''Flying'', the Falcon 200 variant was more comparable to the newer
Falcon 50 trijet
A trijet is a jet aircraft powered by three jet engines. In general, passenger airline trijets are considered to be second-generation jet airliners, due to their innovative engine locations, in addition to the advancement of turbofan technolog ...
than the original Falcon 20 model.
[McClennan 1987, p. 34.]
Due to its popularity, Dassault studied and worked upon various variants and extensive derivatives of the Falcon 20. Later-built developments of the type include the smaller
Falcon 10; the larger 30-seat ''Falcon 30'' with a larger fuselage cross section, which was built and test flown, but did not proceed to production; and the
Falcon 50, an improved three-engined development. The Falcon 20 proved to be so popular that production was not terminated until 1988, when it had been superseded by more advanced developments of the Falcon family. A total of 473 Falcon 20s and 35 Falcon 200s had been constructed by the end of the type's production.
[Michell 1994, p. 54.]
During 2013, the FAA modified 14 CFR part 91 rules to prohibit the operation of jets weighing 75,000 pounds or less that were not Stage 3 noise compliant after 31 December 2015. The Falcon 20 was listed explicitly in Federal Registe
78 FR 39576 Any examples of the type that were not been modified, either by the installation of Stage 3 noise-compliant engines or have had
hush kits installed upon noncompliant engines, were no longer permitted to fly anywhere in the
contiguous 48 states after 31 December 2015. However, ''14 CFR §91.883 Special flight authorizations for jet airplanes weighing 75,000 pounds or less'' – lists special flight authorizations that may be granted for operation after 31 December 2015.
Design
The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet, often considered to be an easy to fly and relatively visually appealing aircraft.
[McClennan 1987, pp. 31–32.] The favourable flight qualities of the aircraft meant that no need existed to incorporate a
stick pusher or stall-barrier systems to achieve its predictable stall behaviour.
The flight controls of the Falcon 20 are
hydraulically powered, augmenting the mechanical pushrods between the cockpit controls and the
flight control surfaces.
In the event of complete hydraulic failure, the aircraft can be practically flown without any augmentation. The controls incorporate an
artificial feel system, optimising the sensations perceivable to the operating pilot to be smooth, predictable, and precise.
[McClennan 1987, pp. 34–35.] On the Falcon 200, the cockpit is heavily modernised, being more comparable with the newer Falcon 50 than the original Falcon 20.
The Falcon 20 is powered by a pair of rear-mounted turbofan engines; most commonly powered by a pair of
General Electric CF700 engines, the type has also been powered by alternative powerplants, including the Garrett TFE731 and ATF3 engines.
[McClennan 1987, pp. 32, 34.] The adoption of newer engines often had the benefit of improving the Falcon 20's range in addition to increased speed and climb rate; this, in combination with its low-drag fuselage, required more careful speed planning than the majority of business jets. On some models, protection against engine conditions such as instances of over-speed and over-heating is provided by electronic flight computers, as is the aircraft's 'throttle-lock' power management system to maintain safe levels of engine power throughout climbs without any crew commands.
[McClennan 1987, pp. 34–36.] As conventional
thrust reversers are not compatible with the location of the engines, an alternative configuration in the form of rotatable doors fixed to the outer cowling of the engine partially cover both the engine fan and core exhaust, deflecting thrust upwards and forwards.
[McClennan 1987, pp. 35–36.]
The Falcon 20 is furnished with a highly
swept wing
A swept wing is a wing that angles either backward or occasionally Forward-swept wing, forward from its root rather than in a straight sideways direction.
Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds w ...
; it is equipped with
leading-edge slats to improve its slow speed performance and decrease the
stalling speed.
When approaching a high angle of attack, the slats are automatically deployed; when nearing a potential stall, the inner section of the slats then retract to provide for a stable and predictable stall with effective
aileron
An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement arou ...
controls throughout. On the Falcon 200 model, the wing was re-profiled for improved low-speed performance and shortened runway requirements, as well as the addition of an unusual
wing root
The wing root is the part of the wing on a fixed-wing aircraft or winged-spaceship that is closest to the fuselage,Peppler, I.L.: ''From The Ground Up'', page 9. Aviation Publishers Co. Limited, Ottawa Ontario, Twenty Seventh Revised Edition, 19 ...
fillet section and a shortened
wing fence; the development of an entirely new wing was under consideration at one point, but the improved performance was not viewed to justify the expense.
While
air brakes are present upon the wing, these are less smooth and more noisy than the use of the dual-brake arrangement upon the
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Marti ...
. For ease of movement on the ground, a fully steerable nosewheel is incorporated and is controlled from the captain's position in the cockpit.
[McClennan 1987, p. 35.]
Supplemental Type Certificate SA5858SW, issued by the American
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA), and held by Falcon Jet Corporation allows for the installation of underwing
pylons upon the Fan Jet Falcon, Fan Jet Falcon Series D and Fan Jet Falcon Series E. This modification has been commonly used upon those Falcon 20s which have been operated as special mission aircraft, which would often make use of underwing stores. Substantial numbers of Falcon 20s were converted into cargo-carrying configurations; a
hydraulically-operated cargo door served to simplify loading-unloading operations.
[Frock 2006, p. 45-46.] According to Flying Magazine, upon its launch, the Falcon 200 model had the largest cabin of any mid-size business jet. Additionally, the rear fuselage of the Falcon 200 was re-designed to accommodate a 28-cubic foot baggage compartment within the tailcone, which supplements the standard aft cabin baggage compartment.
Operational history
Commercial, corporate, and private use
While sales in the North American market was initially strong, sales were negatively impacted by the
Recession of 1969–70, which led to excess unsold Falcon 20 aircraft temporarily building up while Pan American Business Jets Division sought sales of the type.
By late 1973, American sales had recovered while responsibility for sales had been transferred to the Falcon Jet Corporation, an organisation jointly staffed by Pan American and Dassault personnel in which Dassault became the pre-dominant partner in the venture. Additionally, by this point, Dassault were already preparing for the launch of a smaller and improved derivative of the aircraft onto the market, which was marketed as the
Dassault Falcon 10.
During the late 1950s and early 1970s, aviation businessman
Frederick W. Smith
Frederick Wallace Smith (born August 11, 1944) is an American business magnate and investor. He is the founder and chairman of FedEx Corporation, the world's largest transportation company. On June 1, 2022, Smith stepped down as CEO to become exe ...
was seeking an ideal aircraft with which to launch his new business,
Federal Express; Smith soon identified the Falcon 20 as showing promise for his purposes, noting the availability of unsold aircraft due to an economic downturn and its atypically strong fuselage, the latter factor lending itself well to cargo operations.
[Frock 2006, p. 12.] Despite difficulties securing the necessary finances, the fledgling company was able to acquire several Falcon 20s and convert them for cargo operations. Originally, Federal Express intended for its Falcon 20s to be delivered post-conversion, as a consequence of funding issues, the aircraft were acquired in handfuls and independently converted from their initial passenger-carrying configuration to support their use for cargo operations. In September 1972, Federal Express established an in-house training school, focused on the preparation of ex-military pilots for commercial operations using the Falcon.
[Frock 2006, p. 48.]
In April 1973, Federal Express commenced its air express package delivery service using Falcon 20s out of its distribution centre in
Memphis,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...
.
[Frock 2006, p. xi.] By its third year of operation, the airline had established a nationwide network using the Falcon 20 as its principal aircraft and had become profitable; as a consequence of rapidly increasing demands, it was recognised around this point that the introduction of larger cargo aircraft to supplement the type would soon be necessary in order to expand.
[Frock 2006, pp. 159–160.] At the height of its use of the type, Federal Express operated a fleet of 33 Falcon 20; the type was eventually withdrawn following is gradual replacement by substantially larger aircraft, the first of these to be acquired being the
Boeing B-727-100.
[Frock 2006, pp. 160–162.] The Falcon 20 which had carried the first Federal Express air express package has since been placed on static display at the
Smithsonian's
Udvar-Hazy Center at
Dulles Airport.
[Frock 2006, p. 215.]
U.S. Coast Guard
The
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
(USCG) operated a model of the Falcon 20, designated as the HU-25 Guardian. The Guardian was operated as a high-speed spotter aircraft to locate shipwreck survivors and direct slower-moving aircraft and rescue vessels, and to interdict aerial and shipborne
drug trafficking
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
. In 1982, the first HU-25 was delivered to the USCG;
by December 1983, a total of 41 aircraft had been acquired. In USCG service, the HU-25 was eventually succeeded in its role by the
EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry, a newer
turboprop
A turboprop is a turbine engine that drives an aircraft propeller.
A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction gearbox, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propelling nozzle. Air enters the intake and is compressed by the compressor. ...
-powered aircraft.
Operationally, the HU-25 played a key role in the service's actitives in search and rescue, counter drug missions; it had also been a critical asset deployed during the 1991
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
.
["Coast Guard jet's final landing place: The Oregon coast."](_blank)
''kptv.com'', Retrieved: 21 July 2017. Initial models of the HU-25 were delivered to the HU-25A standard; a number were later modified to become HU-25Bs, which were equipped with sensors capable of detecting oil spills and other environmental pollutants.
Further numbers were re-configured to the HU-25C standard, for improved performance in the drug interdiction mission; when equipped with newer
AN/APG-66(V)2 and
AN/APS-143B(V)3 radar systems, these became the HU-25C+ and HU-25D respectively.
On 26 September 2014, following 32 years of service, the last operational HU-25 Falcon, the only jet ever to be a part of the air fleet of the US Coast Guard, was retired.
The high-speed capability it provided will be lost with the type's retirement due to its replacements being considerably slower aircraft.
["The Coast Guard Bids A Sad Farewell To Their Last HU-25 Guardian Jet."]
''Foxtrot Alpha'', Retrieved: 21 July 2017.
Aerial testbeds
In 1988 the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
tested a Falcon 20C (tail-number N200GT) using
Garrett TFE1042 afterburners. This required adding a titanium heat shield to the tail due to the engine mount position.
In 1990, the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army S ...
acquired N20NY (cn 61), a Falcon 20C, for use as a testbed at
MIT Lincoln Laboratory. In 2006, the USAF also acquired Coast Guard HU-25A 2125, registered as N448TB (cn 439), for use at Lincoln Laboratory. Sometime in the mid to late 2000s, N20NY was retired and donated to a local community college, with N448TB also being retired and donated to the same school in June, 2022.
In 2011,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...
acquired a former Coast Guard HU-25C for use in
Operation IceBridge. The aircraft, based at NASA's
Langley Research Center
The Langley Research Center (LaRC or NASA Langley), located in Hampton, Virginia, United States of America, is the oldest of NASA's field centers. It directly borders Langley Air Force Base and the Back River on the Chesapeake Bay. LaRC has f ...
in
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton () is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 137,148. It is the 7th most populous city in Virginia and 204th most populous city in the nation. Hampton ...
, is equipped with a scanning
laser altimeter to collect data on
Arctic
The Arctic ( or ) is a polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada ( Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm ( Greenland), Finland, Iceland ...
surface topography.
During November 2012, a Falcon 20 became the first civil jet in the world to fly on 100 per cent
biofuel when it performed a test flight for Canada's
National Research Council.
Variants
;Mystère/Falcon 20
:Prototype, one built. F-WLKB, initially powered by two
Pratt & Whitney JT12A-8 turbojet
The turbojet is an airbreathing jet engine which is typically used in aircraft. It consists of a gas turbine with a propelling nozzle. The gas turbine has an air inlet which includes inlet guide vanes, a compressor, a combustion chamber, ...
engines. Now stored at Musée Air et Espace Aéroport Paris – Le Bourget.
;Mystère/Falcon 20C
:Initial production version. known in the US as the Falcon 20 Basic. Powered by the CF700-2C engines.
;Falcon 20CC (s/n 073)
:One aircraft similar to the Falcon 20C, equipped with low-pressure tyres (Gravel runway modification, with reinforced belly, larger wheels and no main gear doors).
;Mystère/Falcon 20D
:Higher thrust engines (
General Electric CF700-2D) and lower fuel consumption and more fuel capacity.
;Mystère/Falcon 20E
:Higher thrust engines (
General Electric CF700-2D-2
The General Electric CF700 (military designation TF37) is an aft-fan turbofan development of the CJ610 turbojet. The fan blades are an extension of the low-pressure turbine blades.
Variants
;CF700-2B:Baseline aft-fan CJ610 variant rated at for ...
), higher
zero fuel weight.
;
:Full
leading-edge droop flaps and more fuel capacity.
;Falcon 20FH
:This was the original designation of the Falcon 200 prototype.
;Falcon 20G
:Maritime patrol and surveillance version, equipped with two
Garrett AiResearch ATF3-6-2C turbofan engines.
;Falcon 20H
:This was the original designation of the Falcon 200.
;
:Improved variant, powered by two 2360-kg (5,200-lb)
Garrett ATF3-6A-4C turbofan engines and with more fuel. First flown on 30 April 1980.
[Taylor 1988, pp. 73–74.]
;Falcon ST
:This designation was given to two Falcon 20s used by the
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...
as systems training aircraft. The aircraft were equipped with the combat radar and navigation systems of the
Dassault Mirage IIIE.
;HU-25A Guardian
:
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
version of the Falcon 20G. 41 built. Equipped with two
Garrett AiResearch Garrett ATF3-6-2C turbofan engines.
[Kaminski 2007, p.108.]
;HU-25B Guardian
:Pollution control version for the US Coast Guard equipped with side-looking airborne radar (SLAR) under fuselage. Seven converted from HU-25As.
[Kaminski 2007, p. 109.]
;HU-25C Guardian
:Drug interdiction version for the US Coast Guard, equipped with a Westinghouse
APG-66 search radar and WF-360
Forward looking infrared turret. Nine HU-25As converted.
[Kaminski 2007, p. 110.]
;HU-25C+ Guardian
:Upgrade of HU-25C, with improved
AN/APG-66(V)2 radar and new FLIR turret. All nine HU-25Cs converted.
[Kaminski 2007, pp. 110–111.]
;HU-25D Guardian
:Upgraded HU-25A, with
AN/APS-143B(V)3 Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) and same FLIR as HU-25C+. 15 upgraded.
[Kaminski 2007, pp. 111–112.]
;Guardian 2
:Maritime patrol and surveillance version of the Falcon 200. Never put into production.
;CC-117
:Canadian military designation of Falcon 20C from 1970.
;
:The Falcon 20 was marketed in North America under this name.
;Falcon Cargo Jet (Falcon 20DC)
:Conversion of Falcon 20 to light cargo aircraft. Large numbers purchased/converted by
Federal Express for overnight courier service.
[Taylor 1980, p.65.]
;Falcon 20C-5, 20D-5, 20E-5, 20F-5
:Falcon 20 aircraft equipped with
Garrett TFE731-5AR-2C or
TFE731-5BR-2C engines. Also includes adaptation of bleed air, anti-ice, hydraulic, fuel, electrical and engine control systems and installation of ATTCS (automatic takeoff thrust control system).
Operators
Current civilian operators
;
* Private
;
*
USA Jet Airlines
*
Alliance Air Charter
*
Kalitta Charters
*
Ameristar Jet Charter
*
IFL Group Inc.
*
Sierra West Airlines
Sierra (Spanish for "mountain range" and "saw", from Latin ''wikt:serra#Latin, serra'') may refer to the following:
Places Mountains and mountain ranges
* Sierra de Juárez, a mountain range in Baja California, Mexico
* Sierra de las Nieves, a ...
;
*
Aerovision
*
;
*
Draken Europe
;
*
German Aerospace Center
;
* Guardian Air
;
*
FalconAir
Falconair was a Swedish airline existing between 1967 and 1970.
It should not be confused with Falcon Air, which between 1986 and 2006 operated three Boeing 737-300QC, based at Malmö/Sturup Airport.
History
Falconair was based at Malmö B ...
;
*
Air Nunavut
Air Nunavut, trading as Smooth Air, is an airline based in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada. It is the only local and Inuit-ownedTo be registered with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated as an Inuit firm Article 24 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement require ...
Former civilian operators
;
* Imani Aviation (defunct charter company)
;
*
Pan Am
*
Grand Aire Express
*
Phoenix Air
*
Fedex Express
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2020, it is one of the world's largest airlines in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the ...
*
Ameriflight/California Air Charter
Current military operators
;
*
Djibouti Air Force
;
*
Egyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية المصرية, El Qūwāt El Gawīyä El Maṣrīya), is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all mili ...
;
*
French Navy
The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in th ...
;
*
Imperial Iranian Air Force, later
as well as
Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation
Islamic Republic of Iran Army Aviation (IRIAA) (in fa, هواپیمایی نیروی زمینی جمهوری اسلامی ایران), more commonly known as Havānīrūz (, ), is the army aviation of the Iranian Army ground forces. It is the la ...
*
Imperial Iranian Navy, later
Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (
Navy Aviation)
*
Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC; fa, سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی, Sepāh-e Pāsdārān-e Enghelāb-e Eslāmi, lit=Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution also Sepāh or Pasdaran for short) is a branch o ...
;
*
Japan Coast Guard
;
*
Pakistan Air Force
, "Be it deserts or seas; all lie under our wings" (traditional)
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = ...
– 3 in service, including 2 DA-20s in
EW,
ECM
ECM may refer to:
Economics and commerce
* Engineering change management
* Equity capital markets
* Error correction model, an econometric model
* European Common Market
Mathematics
* Elliptic curve method
* European Congress of Mathematics
...
,
ESM roles
;
*
Spanish Air and Space Force
;
*
Sudanese Air Force
;
*
Syrian Air Force
;
*
Tunisian Air Force
;
*
Venezuelan Air Force
Former military operators
;
;
;
*
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
– Three in service from 1967 to 1989.
**
No. 34 Squadron RAAF
;
*
Belgian Air Component – 2 Falcon 20E-5 operated from 1973 as VIP aircraft. Retired 22 December 2016.
;
*
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environ ...
*
Canadian Forces
}
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified Military, military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Ai ...
**
412 Transport Squadron and
No. 414 Squadron RCAF 1970–1989 as CC-117
;
;
*
Chilean Navy
The Chilean Navy ( es, Armada de Chile) is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso.
History
Origins and the Wa ...
;
*
French Air Force
The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Ar ...
;
*
Guinea-Bissau Air Force
;
;
*
Royal Jordanian Air Force
* Jordanian Royal Flight
;
*
Lebanese Air Force
;
*
Libyan Air Force (Mirage Weapons Trainer)
;
*
Royal Moroccan Air Force
;
*
Royal Norwegian Air Force
** 717 Squadron - the remaining two planes 041 Hugin and 053 Munin were retired in September 2022, following a farewell flight over large parts of Southern Norway. Their duties will be taken over by the new F-35A and P-8 Poseidon planes being delivered to the RNoAF
;
*
Nicaraguan Air Force
;
* Oman Royal Flight
;
*
Panamanian Public Forces
The Panamanian Public Forces ( es, Fuerza Pública de la República de Panamá) are the national security forces of Panama. Panama is the second country in Latin America (the other being Costa Rica) to permanently abolish standing armies, with ...
;
*
Peruvian Air Force
;
*
Portuguese Air Force
;
*
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
;
*
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
Specifications (Falcon 20F)
Popular culture
* The Mystère 20 prototype was also featured in the 1966 comedy ''
How to Steal a Million'', starring
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn (born Audrey Kathleen Ruston; 4 May 1929 – 20 January 1993) was a British actress and humanitarian. Recognised as both a film and fashion icon, she was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen ...
and
Peter O'Toole.
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* .
* .
*
*
*
* McClennan, J. Mac
"French Bred - Dassault Falcon 200: Not just a Pretty Face."''
Flying
Flying may refer to:
* Flight, the process of flying
* Aviation, the creation and operation of aircraft
Music
Albums
* ''Flying'' (Grammatrain album), 1997
* ''Flying'' (Jonathan Fagerlund album), 2008
* ''Flying'' (UFO album), 1971
* ''Fl ...
'', April 1987. Vol. 114, No. 4. ISSN 0015-4806. pp. 30–36.
*
*
*
*
External links
Dassault Falcon 20 (ELINT/ECM)Used FalconsArchive
{{US utility aircraft
Falcon 0020
1960s French business aircraft
Low-wing aircraft
Twinjets
Cruciform tail aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1963