Dassault Falcon Jet-Little Rock has completed the most extensive inspection required for the Falcon 7X. The facility finished the project within the time frame expected and delivered a squawk-free aircraft ready for another seven years of successful flying.
A “C” check is completed after a 7X’s first eight years in service (or 4,000 cycles). The 2C check marks 16 years. The inspection was completed on one of the first 7Xs to enter service.
The entire Dassault Aviation MRO network has been gearing up for more than a year to perform these all-encompassing inspections on the 7X fleet. Two other C checks are in progress, one at Dassault Aviation Business Services in Geneva and another at Dassault Falcon Service in Mérignac. Several others are already scheduled.
“The 2C is a major inspection of structures and systems requiring removal of the interior, engines, slats, fairings and access panels, and then the complete reassembly of all those elements,” noted Geoff Chick, Sr. Vice President, Worldwide Service Network. “The process is extremely thorough and takes about three months. Many customers choose to perform updates at this time, including refurbishments and avionics improvements, such as installation of the new EASy IV flight deck.”
In preparation for these inspections, Dassault Aviation worked with its MRO facilities to optimize the process for efficiency and minimal downtime. Since repairs or discrepancies could affect downtime, the company provides structural engineers onsite for critical phases of the 2C check, allowing faster evaluation and solutions for any required repairs. Dedicated Customer Service managers provide constant communication with the customer throughout the process.
“We marshal a lot of expertise in order to perform these 2C checks in a quick and efficient way,” said Chick. “Having structural engineers and other engineering specialists from the factory available makes these service events as smooth as possible. That is one of the benefits of a factory MRO organization.”
Planning and preparation for the 2C checks on the 7X will also benefit the Falcon 8X fleet, which will see its first C checks this year.
