Summary

• The Dassault Falcon 2000 has evolved through various variants, increasing in price and offering improved performance.
• The Falcon 2000 series has garnered popularity with 670 deliveries across 27 models and variants.
• Costs for the original Falcon 2000, the 2000EX, and the latest 2000LXS model vary, but operating costs are comparable, with just minor variations in hourly operating cost.

The Dassault Falcon 2000 is a popular private jet in the super-midsize category. It was launched in 1993 and has evolved through several variants since then. These have, as you would expect, increased in price – but also in specifications and performance. This guide looks at the main variants over the past 31 years, their purchase costs, and expected operating costs.

The Dassault Falcon 2000 series

The Dassault Falcon 2000 first flew back in 1993. It was developed out of the three-engine Falcon 900, with two engines and a smaller passenger capacity of 10 to suit the super mid-size/heavy private jet category better. It is shorter than the Falcon 900 but keeps the same fuselage design and diameter, wing design, and some systems.

The Falcon 2000 has proven to be a popular aircraft, especially with corporate owners. Dassault has delivered more than 670 Falcons across 27 models and variants (based on data from October 2022 from Aviation Week).

Purchase and operating costs – the original Falcon 2000

The original Falcon 2000, certified in 1994, is no longer in production. Dassault built 230 of these first models. When launched, it was listed for sale at $17.85 million. Second-hand models currently sell for around $5 million, and it remains well in service.

For a look at the expected operating costs (for this and other variants), we will use data from JetAdvisors. With any aircraft, total operating costs consist of a fixed annual cost (regardless of aircraft utilization) and a variable cost based on hourly use.

For 200 hours of flying, this gives a total annual cost of $2,283,108.

The Falcon 2000EX

The Falcon 2000EX was the first major variant upgrade, certified in 2003. Dassault updated the original Falcon with new engines (Pratt & Whitney Canada PW308C), larger fuel tanks, and upgraded avionics. This gave several appealing improvements (especially as the original 2000 was still based largely on the older Falcon 900), with more efficient operation, new engines and cockpit, and over 1,000 nautical miles additional range.

Secondhand sales for the 2000EX are reported (by Aviation Week) at between $9.5 million and $11 million.

Read more about the improvements introduced with the Falcon 2000EX

The Falcon 2000EX was further developed into other variants, including:

• The Falcon 2000EX EASy variant has further improved systems and avionics.
• The Falcon 2000DX variant, with a shorter range, was launched in 2007 for $28.5 million.
• The Falcon 2000LX variant, with winglets and a longer range, was launched in 2009. Secondhand sales are currently reported to be between $14 million and $19 million.
• The Falcon 2000S offers short-field landing and take-off to open up access to more airports. Its list price in 2021 was $28.8 million.

Fixed and variable operating costs for the Falcon 2000EX are similar to the original Falcon 2000, with just a slightly lower hourly cost. These are as follows (again based on data from JetAdvisors) :

For 200 hours of flying, this gives a total annual cost of $2,207,1508.

The Falcon 2000LXS

The latest and current production model is the Falcon 2000LXS. It was launched in 2014 as a replacement for the 2000LX. It combines the improvements of early variants 2000LX and 2000LS to offer long-range but also superior short-field performance. It also offers improved performance and efficiency and a re-designed cabin.

The Falcon 2000LXS sells for $35.1 million (based on 2022 data from Aviation Week). There are second-hand models available starting from around $24 million.

Fixed and variable costs for the Falcon 2000LXS are as follows:

For 200 hours of flying, this gives a total annual cost of $2,202,908.

Alternatives to aircraft ownership

While purchasing and directly operating a private jet might make sense for heavy users, it is not the only option. Fractional ownership and the use of jet cards with set and prepaid hours and popular alternatives.

Fractional ownership involves several parties splitting the purchase and fixed operating costs of the aircraft and having a guaranteed level of operation during the year. This makes sense when one party’s expected usage does not justify taking on the full costs and can be more cost-effective than hourly rental.

The Falcon 2000 is more common in direct ownership, but there are plenty that are part of fractional ownership. Private jet broker Jetcraft gives some insight into this with its data as follows:

• For the older Falcon 2000, there are 230 aircraft in operation. Of these, 22 are in fractional ownership, and a further nine are in shared ownership.
• Falcon 2000LXS fractional ownership has not yet been popular. Jetcraft quotes that there are 89 aircraft in operation, all of which are privately owned.

Would you like to discuss more about the Dassault Falcon 2000 jet range, or costs? Feel free to do so in the comments section.