SAINT-CLOUD, France — Aerospace company Dassault Aviation is eyeing a bigger share of Southeast Asia’s aviation market as it expects demand for business jets to grow and hopes to get customers for the new Falcon 6X aircraft.
Carlos Brana, senior vice president for civil aircraft at Dassault Aviation, told reporters following the press launch for the Falcon 6X the company would like to capture a portion of the expected growth in the business jet market in Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia.
“In those three countries, the common point is that we are all expecting there will be a growing number of business jets in the future. Recently, of course, the industry is developing. We see that average growth of business jets is between three and five percent per year. So, we may expect to have at least a portion of this growth with our business jets,” Brana said.
He said the three countries currently have about 50 business jets each.
In the Philippines and Indonesia, Brana said less than 10 of the 50 business jets are from Dassault Aviation. As for Malaysia, the company accounts for 12 of 50 business jets.
He said Dassault Aviation’s market share in those countries is still small because there has not been much interest from businesses in those countries for long range or larger business aircraft.
The situation is seen to change, however, as the economies and industries in the three countries continue to grow and Philippine, Indonesian and Malaysian businesses expand overseas and outside of Asia.
“So, not so much interest right now in larger planes. But I think it is going to grow because of the more industry you are going to develop in those countries, the more infrastructure you will get, the more business you will be doing. Of course, you are already doing it (business) in Asia, but I think also, internationally, with other continents,” Brana said.
With demand for business jets seen to grow in the three markets, the company is hopeful it could get new and existing customers from the three countries for the newly launched Falcon 6X.
Dassault Aviation’s current customers for its business jets include big corporations with investments outside of their home country.
“That (6X) will be a good match for sure (for Southeast Asia). With Falcon 6X, you can link easily to Europe, you can link easily to Australia if you want to go there, and you can link also to America. Not every part of the US, but at least you can link,” Brana said.
The Falcon 6X, which has a maximum range of 5,500 nautical miles (nm) and powered with the Pure Power PW800 engines of Pratt & Whitney Canada, is the most spacious, advanced and versatile twin jet in business aviation.
The new aircraft’s cabin which is six feet, six inches high and eight feet, six inches wide, can accommodate 16 passengers in three distinct lounge areas, enabling multiple configurations including a large entry way or crew rest area and a spacious rear lounge.
It also has the most quiet cabin in the sky and comes with high-speed connectivity system solution to ensure seamless in-flight communications and high-speed internet access.
Dassault Aviation chairman and chief executive officer Eric Trappier said the new aircraft’s cabin style and design are based on an extensive survey of customer preferences and inputs.
“We wanted to further push the boundaries with this new aircraft, to provide the best flight experience possible using today’s aviation know-how,” he said.
“The Falcon 6X will offer a mix of range, comfort and capability no other large cabin business jet can match while guaranteeing fully mature systems and a proven power plant,” he said.
The new aircraft is set to make its first flight in early 2021 and start deliveries in 2022.
Apart from the Falcon 6X, Dassault Aviation offers other business jets including the twin-engine 3,350 nm large-cabin Falcon 2000S, as well as the flagship 6,450 nm ultra-long range Falcon 8X.
Dassault Aviation currently has presence in over 90 countries across five continents.