The Falcon 50B

A decision to proceed with production of the new Garrett-powered Falcon 50B trijet is virtually assured with the commitment by Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation for $30 million plus in production tooling and materials. The final decision, expected by July 11, awaits U.S. market response to an initial $3,990,000 price tag based on January 1975 dollars.
B/CA Staff Report

At the end of April, Falcon Jet Corporation-exclusive distributor for the Falcon line of executive jets in the Western Hemisphere-had $10,000 refundable deposits for 43 airplanes in hand, and Dassault had an additional six orders. Terms of the purchase agreement in the initial go-around require that these depositors firm up their intentions with an additional $40,000 by June 30, 1975. The deposits will be kept in an interest paying escrow account pending a final sales contract. These customers will receive a final price and firm delivery date by July 11 and will then have until August 31 to sign a definitive sales contract. The contract will probably require an additional deposit, after which the program will definitely be go. For those operators failing to sign up by June 30, the price will increase to $4,250,000 for a reasonable undetermined period and delivery positions will move to the back of the pack, according to Finn Hedlund, Falcon Jets vice president of marketing. These prices are for green airplanes, so the ultimate price with full avionics and interior will be about $5 million initially, moving up to $6 million for orders after the June 30 deadline. The New Wing In a major modification of the original Falcon 50A design, Dassault has shifted from the Falcon 20 wing to a completely new tridimensionalized, computerized airfoil similar to that of the small Falcon 10. The maximum coefficient of lift has been increased to 2.40 for the trijet, which will enable it to lift full fuel and four passengers of a 5,000-foot runway on an ISA+10 day. This redesign was undertaken as the result of a questionnaire answered by prospective customers, 44 percent of whom said they need to operate off 5,000- to 6,000-foot runways. Wing area will be 495 square feet; the loading, 73.93 pounds per square foot. The aspect ratio for the wing will be 7.73, up from 6.35 as originally planned. The greater span creates capacity for an additional 2,840.8 pounds of fuel, bringing the total capacity of the wing up to 10, 559.2 pounds at 6.7 pounds per gallon. In plan form, the new wing, like that of the Falcon 10, has a break in the leading edge about one-third of the way out on each panel where it transitions to a lesser sweep. Overall, the sweep in the new wing is less than it was originally. The break in the trailing edge is at the same point as the one in the leading edge, allowing for a greater span on the inboard flaps. The flaps are now double-slotted as opposed to the original single-slotted design. Aerodynamic brakes on the top surface of each wing will be in three sections and hydraulically operated. Slats occupy the leading, edge, in two sections, from fuselage to tip. The engineers do not expect to resort to fences on the wing because Monsieur Dassault,will not allow it. The Falcon 10 does not have fences, although the 20 has prominent ones. With the three 3,700-pound-thrust Garrett TFE 731 engines, the Falcon 50 will have a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.303. In the Dassault family, that compares with 0.353 for the Falcon 10 and 0.301 for the 20F. The JetStar II, with four Garrett TFE 731 engines, will have a thrustto-weight ratio of 0.336; the G-IIs is 0.368.
FROM THE JUNE 1975 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. COPYRIGHT 1975, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

In a major modification of the original Falcon 50A design, Dassault has shifted from the Falcon 20 wing to a completely new tridimensionalized, computerized airfoil similar to that of the smaller Falcon 10. The maximum coefficient of lift has been increased to 2.40 for the trijet, which will enable it to lift full fuel and four passengers off a 5,000-foot runway on an ISA+10 day. This redesign was undertaken as the result of a questionnaire answered by prospective customers, 44 percent who said they need to operate off 5,000- to 6,000-foot runways. Wing area will be 495 square feet; the loading, 73.93 pounds per square foot. The aspect ratio for the wing will be 7.73, up from 6.35 as originally planned. The greater span creates capacity for an additional 2,840.8 pounds of fuel, bringing the total capacity of the, wing up to 10,559.2 pounds at 6.7 pounds per gallon. Passenger Accommodations Interior cabin dimensions are identical to those of the Falcon 20 eight to 10 passengers but Dassault has come up with a surprise that in essence makes the passenger cabin substantially larger. A 90-cubic-foot heated and pressurized baggage compartment will be installed between the engine pylons, so that passengers will no longer have to share cabin space with their own luggage. The baggage compartment will accommodate objects as long as eight feet. To specifically avoid such problems as were encountered with the DC-10, Chief Development Engineer Bernard Leroudier told B/CA the compartment will have two doors-an outer one that will open downward and outward to form a step for access, plus an inward opening plug-type door. Getting the baggage out of the cabin will create room for a small galley forward with additional storage space for food and refreshment services. Dassault is showing drawings of the airplane with eight passenger seats grouped into two club arrangements, but airframes will come through green so purchasers will have the option of custom-designing the accommodations. Some depositors are disappointed that Dassault is going with a Falcon 20-size cabin in an airplane designed for long-range missions. The advantage of using the basic Falcon fuselage crosssection, however, will be a lower price tag (because of decreased costs of development), greater range and lower operating costs. As operators of the 20 have discovered, on lengthy missions the cabin is roomy enough for up to four passengers. Since the 50 will carry only four with full fuel and baggage is in an additional compartment, the interior should work out well for the average operator. In another surprise, Dassault is offering only one reverser as standard on the aircraft. The reasoning is that a single reverser on the center engine can operate over a much wider speed range down to 20 knots on the rollout without a threat of foreign object damage. Reversers on the two side-mounted turbines, on the other hand, would be restricted to a speed range of only 25 knots, from 105 down to 80. For that reason, Leroudier contends the single reverser will be just as efficient as two side reversers. However, several depositors have told Dassault they will opt for all three, despite an additional weight penalty of 200 pounds each. Systems Most of the Falcon 50B systems are very similar to those in the 20 and 10 models. There is a completely independent fuel system of 5,105.4 pounds for each of the three engines. Outer-wingpanel fuel (3,899.4 pounds per side) is fed to left and right feeder tanks located between the passenger cabin and the baggage compartment. Each of these feeder tanks has a capacity of 1,206 pounds. A 2,760.4-pound-capacity wing center-section tank feeds a 2,345-pound-capacity center-engine feeder tank. Primary fuel flow is via electric pumps from mains to feeder tanks and
FROM THE JUNE 1975 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. COPYRIGHT 1975, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

via electric boost and engine-driven pumps to the turbines just as in the case of the Falcon 20. The entire fuel system, including the wings, is also pressurized as a backup to the electric pumps. Several Falcon 50 depositors would prefer jet pumps for fuel transfer because of their low maintenance cycle, but Dassault engineers feel the advantage of the simpler plumbing possible with electric pumps outweighs the disadvantage of having to pull them every 400 hours for overhaul. It will be possible to pull the transfer pumps without draining the tanks. Pressure fueling is standard as are gravity-feed ports for each wing. Time difference in fueling is 10 minutes with pressure versus about 25 minutes over wing. No adjustments are necessary to balance the load when more than 4500 pounds are onboard. Below that level, however, the operator will have to make certain each system is equally full after refueling. When taking on a full load, fuel is automatically transferred into the three fuselage tanks. Weights Dassault concedes that with the current Garrett TFE 731-3 turbofan engines, which generate 3,700 pounds of thrust each, the Falcon 50B is a four-passenger airplane with full fuel. This is a departure from the two smaller Falcon models, which can handle a full load of fuel with all seats filled. Dassault is expected to alleviate this probrem, however, with the advent of some future version of the TFE 731 that is expected to eventually have a thrust rating in excess of 4,000 pounds. Currently, the maximum takeoff weight of the aircraft is projected to be 36,596 pounds, with a maximum landing weight of 34,854, a zero fuel weight of 22,597 and a basic equipped weight of 19,845 pounds. Total fuel capacity will be 15,316.2 pounds and consumption is estimated at 2,100 to 2,200 pounds per hour at the mid-weight point. Thus, the range will be seven hours plus reserves. On a typical long-range mission, Dassault is projecting an initial climb to FL 370. After 1+40, the airplane can be stepped to FL 410 for 4+40. Total range will be 3,000 nm in 7+17 on 13,835 pounds of fuel. Therefore, the 3,000-nm reserve would be 1,481 pounds and the block speed 411 knots. The hydraulic system is similar in function to that of the Falcon 10 and 20. It is basically a four-pump system, split into independent left and right (Dassault prefers to call them Blue and Yellow) systems. There are dual feeds to the primary servo actuators (elevator, aileron and rudder) and independent feeds to the other hydraulically operated equipment. Roll arthur, normal slats, flaps, reversers, gear and normal braking function off the Blue system. Pitch arthur, standby slats, airbrakes, nosewheel steering and standby/parking brakes are on the Yellow system. Each engine has its own hydraulic pump. Pumps on the number-one and number-two engines (left and center) are plumbed in parallel and share a reservoir and accumulator to form the Blue system. The number-three engine-driven hydraulic pump is plumbed in parallel with an electrically driven standby pump with an accumulator and reservoir to form the Yellow system. The electric system developed for the new trijet is standard DC/AC, with three nine-kilowatt starter/generators feeding DC buses and three 750-VA static inverters. Dassault admits to problems with the GE starter/generators in the Falcon 10 and is looking at alternatives. One is a Bendix system (used in the Lear 35/36), which is much heavier (by 60 pounds). Another is a Lear Siegler unit, which has been flying on a Falcon 10. In addition, Dassault engineers are looking into the possibility of using pneumatic starters and independent generators. This presupposes installation of an APU, of course, but several operators have indicated that pneumatic starting would be preferable in spite of the problems that can arise in a remote area with a malfunctioning APU. Dassault feels that carrying a starting cartridge for backup is not a good answer, so a decision on which way to go hinges on whether or not to install an APU. From the pilots viewpoint, control of the electrical system is relatively straightforward, with
FROM THE JUNE 1975 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. COPYRIGHT 1975, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

generators one and two powering the left main bus and generator three driving the right main bus. Bus ties are provided and various elements of the system can be dropped off-line should that be necessary. The left and right inverters will see full-time duty. A standby inverter is offered. The system includes two 23 amp-hour nickel cadmium batteries for starting and emergency DC. Heating and air conditioning are open questions at this time, depending on whether customers opt for an APU installation. Without the APU, Dassault is offering an electric Freon airconditioning system with single bootstrap. Heating would come from the center engine running at 40 percent rpm. This would consume 400 pounds per hour, but the time would not count against TBO. The other alternative at a 220-pound penalty is installation of a Garrett APU and a twobootstrap air-conditioning setup. This arrangement would burn about 40 percent less fuel for heating and cooling than would running the center engine. Dassaults Leroudier said the company will not certificate both the Freon and the APU systems. Anti-ice is engine bleed air all around. It is similar to the system used on earlier Falcons with one exception; the S duct for the center engine is heated continuously, even when the engine is shut down, to prevent the possibility of ice accumulation. The duct, incidentally, requires as much bleed air for heat as one complete wing. High-pressure air is used to anti-ice engine inlets; low pressure is used to protect the airframe and S duct. Limitations Projected Mmo is 0.85, with a Vmo of 3 50/370. Maximum cruising altitude will be FI 450 and the pressure differential 8.7 psi. Dassault is predicting a flyover noise level of 87 EPNdB, a sideline level of 94 EPNdB and an approach level of 97. Current FAR 36 limits are 93, 102 and 102, respectively. Its possible that by the time the Falcon 50 comes into the fleet in 1978 (that date has slipped from the original 1977 date because of the wing redesign), FAR 36 limits will be lowered to 90, 96 and 98, respectively for three- and four-engine aircraft. Assuming Dassault meets its projections, therefore, noise regulations, current and anticipated, will not adversely impact this airplane. FAR balanced field lengths are remarkably short for an aircraft with the range capability of the Falcon 50. As the graph shows, at ISA+10C with eight passengers onboard, the airplane needs but 3,500 feet for a 1,500-nm mission. At 25,000 pounds the approach speed is 101 knots, and the FAR 121 landing distance approximately 3,600 feet. So altogether, the Falcon 50 promises to be a shorter-field airplane than many short range jets. With $30 million already committed to the program, a bunch of the current 49 depositors will have to drop out before Dassault will be persuaded to shelve the Falcon 50 program. It seems safe to assume, therefore, that by 1978 or 1979 Dassault and Falcon Jet will be offering the widest range of business jets under one roof. In a conversation with B/CA, Leroudier said that commonality between the three airplanes will not be great, but in a fleet operation, and with careful selection of avionics and options, it would probably be significant. Certainly the prospect of equipping a fleet with a little medium-range, a medium medium-range and a big long-range airplane from one manufacturer will be appealing to many operators. B/CA

FROM THE JUNE 1975 BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. COPYRIGHT 1975, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

FROM THE MONTH, YEAR BUSINESS & COMMERCIAL AVIATION. COPYRIGHT XXXX, THE McGRAW-HILL COMPANIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.