Saint-Cloud, France, February 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Dassault Aviation will present its Falcon fleet of large cabin, long range business jets at Aero India, India's largest air show for both military and civil aircraft. The 10th edition of this prestigious event, which opens on February 18th, will take place at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru (18-22 February). It will feature Dassault Aviation's 5,950 nm/11,000 km range Falcon 7X trijet, the fastest selling Falcon of all time, and the 4,000 nm/7,700 km Falcon 2000LXS, a short-field derivative of the popular Falcon 2000.

Dassault is the Indian market leader in the large cabin, long range aircraft segment, with 22 aircraft currently in service and several more on order. Most new orders are for longer range Falcon models like the Falcon 7X and the new flagship Falcon 8X that are capable of flying non-stop to London City Airport from anywhere in India.

The Falcon 7X, with its large cabin and advanced systems largely derived from military aircraft, is particularly prized by Indian customers. Its ultra quiet roomy interior, available with a shower option, allows passengers to disembark fresh and relaxed after a 13-hour flight. Its London City Airport rating can save two hours off a typical London business trip, while its exceptional versatility allows it to serve the most demanding destinations even at short, elevated and hot airfields. Last year, the aircraft completed trials that will permit it to operate out of the highest commercial airports in the world.

More than 2507Xs have left the assembly line since the model was certified in 2007.

The new 6,450 nm/12,000 km Falcon 8X, which was rolled out last December, and the all-new 5,200 nm/9,630 km Falcon 5X, introduced in 2013, are also receiving a warm reception on the Indian market.

The 8X made its first flight last week and is due to begin deliveries by mid-2016. It will offer the longest cabin and the lowest ownership and operating costs in its class, along with the same advanced technology and operating flexibility as the 7X. The Falcon 5X, expected to take to the air later this year, will feature the largest cabin cross-section of any business jet and the lowest ownership and operating costs in the large cabin category.

The Falcon 2000LXS, certified in 2013, is expected to prove popular with Indian customers, too. The LXS offers a short-field capability comparable to smaller midsize and super midsize business models but with a range and comfort level far better than these aircraft. Fifteen units of the Falcon 2000 series are already in service with large Indian corporate operators in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore.

"For the moment, overall business jet demand in India remains sluggish, compared to the size and wealth of the Indian economy," remarked Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation. "However, we are very confident that pressing issues such as the lack of infrastructure will be resolved in the medium term, and we are very bullish about the long term future of the market."

In anticipation of the expected market rebound, Dassault Aviation continues to reinforce its regional support presence. The company recently opened a new Bangalore office and will soon authorize Ligare Engineering, a division of Ligare Voyages, the largest Indian Falcon operator, to provide AOG Service Level Maintenance for the Falcon 7X at its Delhi service facility.

The deal with Ligare Engineering follows previous Authorized Service Center agreements with Taj Air/Metrojet, for the Falcon 2000 series, and Air Works India, for the Falcon 900EX/LX line. Both of these operations are located in Mumbai and supported by satellite facilities around the country.

The regional support network includes spares warehouses in Mumbai and Chennai and is backed up by offshore facilities in Dubai, Singapore and Paris. Pilot training is available at CAE in Dubai and technical training may soon be offered there as well. A customer service representative in the Dassault Aviation office in Mumbai serves as regional support coordinator.