Dassault Falcon 900EX Charter

The Dassault Falcon 900EX was Dassault's mid-1990s development of the original Falcon 900 — the trijet that established the three-engine widebody heavy-jet category. The EX added uprated Honeywell TFE731-60 engines with FADEC, increased fuel capacity for 4,500 nm range, and Collins Pro Line 4 avionics. First delivery came in 1996; production ran to 2010 when the LX variant took over. Around 130 Falcon 900EX airframes were built.

The 900EX is the archetype of the modern Falcon trijet — three engines for ETOPS-free transoceanic flight, a genuine three-zone widebody cabin, and short-field performance no purpose-built heavy competitor from Bombardier or Gulfstream can match. For charter clients the 900EX is the mature, value-priced trijet: the same Dassault reliability and cabin experience as the current 900LX at meaningfully lower hourly rates.

Cabin dimensions: 33 feet 2 inches long, 7 feet 8 inches wide and 6 feet 2 inches tall — a genuine three-zone widebody, longer than any Challenger or Gulfstream G450 and narrower only than the Global family. Standard layout is a 12-passenger three-zone configuration: forward club-four, mid-cabin club-four and aft three-place divan with berthing.

Cabin management on original 900EX aircraft is dated; refurbished examples frequently feature updated Falcon Cabin HD+ or Rockwell Venue systems, LED lighting and Iridium or Ka-band connectivity. Baggage volume is 127 cubic feet in a heated aft hold accessed in-flight — a Dassault signature that Challenger and Gulfstream match only on the newest airframes.

The lavatory is fully enclosed with vanity, natural light and belted seat. The galley is forward-right with hot and cold storage, oven, coffee and crew rest jump seat — a full three-crew galley configuration.

Three Honeywell TFE731-60 engines deliver 5,000 pounds of thrust each with FADEC. Maximum operating Mach is 0.87; long-range cruise Mach 0.80. Certified ceiling is FL510. NBAA IFR range with eight passengers is 4,500 nautical miles — enough for New York to Paris (with reserves and winds), Los Angeles to Honolulu, London to Dubai, or Dubai to Singapore.

Balanced field length at MTOW is 5,215 ft — dramatically better than any Challenger or Gulfstream heavy of comparable range. Landing distance is 2,415 ft. The three-engine trijet configuration allows genuine ETOPS-free operations, meaning the aircraft can fly the shortest routing over oceanic and remote terrain without diversionary constraints.

Charter hourly rates run $9,000–$10,800 in North America; €9,500–€11,500 in Europe. Empty-leg availability is moderate. Indicative pricing: New York to Paris from $72,000; London to Dubai from £62,000; Miami to São Paulo from $68,000; Dubai to Singapore from $85,000.

Against the 900LX the 900EX gives up 250 nm of range and winglets at 10–15 per cent lower cost. Against the Challenger 605/650 the 900EX offers three-engine reliability, better runway performance and equal cabin volume at similar cost. Against the G450 the 900EX offers three-engine ETOPS-free routing and better runway performance at similar cost.

Charter the Falcon 900EX when three-engine ETOPS-free transoceanic capability matters, when the mission includes runway-constrained airports, or when Dassault cabin experience is decisive. Refurbished aircraft close the gap to the 900LX substantively.

Prefer the 900LX for extended range and winglets, or a Challenger 605 for a wider cabin on shorter sectors. For trijet reliability at value pricing, the 900EX is the aircraft.