Dassault Falcon long haul prospects

Dassault Aviation which introduced the first business jet into India in 1995 with the Tata Group is an expansion mode with regard to its Falcon business jets.

The International Sales Director (Falcon Business Jets), Thierry de Poncins told SP’s ShowNews that the company was optimistic about the future of business aviation in India, though in the two to three years ‘nothing much has been happening’. “We are hoping that after the elections there would be not only a stable government but also one that would be pro-business.”

Poncins revealed that there were several customers in ‘stand-by mode’ in India and that once the new government is in place, they would come on board. Dassault Aviation which has 22 aircraft presently in India, all high-end long range business jets, is expecting 2014 to be good. “We expect sales of nearly 4 to 5 business jets in 2014-15. We sell directly to the customer, thus giving them the margins which we would have given a representative.”

Of the 22 aircraft, 85 per cent of the aircraft are with non-scheduled operators and the rest with private individuals. The sectors that are driving business jets sales are energy, medical, mining etc. “Most of the operators see benefits of long range travel from India to Europe, Africa without difficulties.”

“Even when there has been a slowdown in the Indian economy, we have believed in the market here. We were the first at Aero India and also at India Aviation.”