Dassault Aviation has signed the 500th contract for its FalconCare guaranteed maintenance programme. It has also further expanded the programme to meet a broader range of customer needs and budgets.

Introduced in 2005, FalconCare offers a range of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance services through C-Check, including airframe, avionics and landing gear parts, labour, consumables, service bulletins and maintenance tracking. This comprehensive coverage ensures predictable and stable annual maintenance costs for operators of Falcon aircraft. It provides maintenance coverage globally through more than 60 Dassault owned and ASCs and 16 Falcon spares distribution centres.

“FalconCare provides three benefits,” explains Jean Kayanakis, senior VP of worldwide Falcon customer service and service centre network. “It guarantees a predictable budget, it offers peace of mind by eliminating unexpected maintenance costs and it helps enhance aircraft value, as demonstrated by valuations in the aircraft Bluebook price guide.” The new programme expansion, based on feedback from flight departments and the Falcon Operator Advisory Board, enhances the flexibility of the pay-as-you-go Falcon Care service by offering operators two different levels of coverage, in accordance with their actual maintenance requirements. FalconCare Essential is the basic offering, covering the full cost of genuine Dassault spare parts, with additional services available as options, while FalconCare Elite is an all-inclusive offering covering parts, labour and consumables along with AOG GoTeam service, documentation, exchange items like batteries and wheels and other maintenance services.

Each plan includes a FalconCare Efficiency Bonus, which financially rewards operators engaging in the most cost-effective maintenance practices. Both plans allow operators to establish a Flex Spending Account for miscellaneous costs outside FalconCare coverage. “The FalconCare programme is customer driven,” continues Kayanakis. “Thanks to operator input, we're now able to offer different plans and options that meet the diverse needs of our growing customer base. We are always tapping the knowledge of our operators on how to expand and improve our service plans and expect that FalconCare offerings will continue to evolve in the future in line with changing customer needs.”