Up to Mach .97.......45 deg banks & 2G pullup. Impressive airplane.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/c7ojhYSSMKc[/youtube]

Cool.

That is impressive. I hear they roll nice too, from a former Falcon salesman.

I want one.

Many years ago now I was the Chief Pilot and Head of Check and Training of a Falcon operation. They are the most amazing jet of the 8 I have flown. I would have happily flown them for the rest of my career but fate had another path so I have spent the last 12+ years on the B767/777 and now 737 (lifestyle choice).

We had no access to a sim so when I endorsed new pilots it was all done in the actual aircraft, including V1 cuts - yes more potentially dangerous but also a hell of a lot of fun. My own type rating was done by an ex fighter pilot and ex CP of the Amiri Royal Flight (Falcons) and by the time it was finished I had absolute faith in the Falcon's aerodynamics and strength. We routinely did stuff like full stalls (holding the stick at the aft mechanical limit) and then fire-walling the engines to achieve an AoA around 20 degrees (the inboard slats retracted at that AoA and the nose came down while the outboard slats modulated in and out keeping the wings level) which would have been fatal in many jets.

I have done several 'mach runs' in post C Check test flights...checking the rigging of the speed brakes. I cant remember the required Mach Number now but it was comfortably into the .9+ range (M0.865 was MMO - I think we went to .95) and then release the controls and extend the speed brakes...record angle of bank achieved (45 deg on the first one)...stow speed brake and record angle of bank...adjust and repeat until they extended evenly.

I taught recovery from unusual attitudes in the Falcon...routinely inverted the jet nose high and then asked the newbie to open his eyes and recover. Nose low and angles of bank around 120 degrees, same deal.

I used to demo the difference between high speed and low speed buffet - from memory it took 37 degrees angle of bank at FL410 to get the aircraft to high speed buffet. With the new Falcon pilot doing a level turn you'd ask him where the buffet was on the airframe..."on the roof just behind the cockpit" - Yup...now pull a little harder - where is it now..."On the trailing edge wing root" - YUP. You could gently increase or decrease back pressure on the yoke and transition back and forth between high and low speed buffet and FEEL it change location.

Just a really COOL aeroplane.

And yes they aileron roll beautifully

I was told by the chap who endorsed me that the Dassault test pilots routinely take Falcons
through M1.0. He had collected a number new from Dassault and I had the impression he'd seen it done first hand. Having been as fast as I have been in a Falcon with absolutely no strange stuff happening aerodynamically I have ZERO trouble believing it.

Chuck,

It always amazes me as to the history of the pilots that post here. Good stuff.

A true pilots airplane indeed!

A very true statement!

The Falcon 50 is by far the best flying corporate jet I have ever flown, the closely farllowed second best is the Falcon 900 EX.

Of course What do I know, I have only flown the Lear 23,24 &35, the Jet Commander 1121, 1123 & 1124, Lockeed Jet Star, all the Saberliners,40,60,65 & 75, the Hawker 400, the G2,G3 & G4, all the Citation 500, 550 & 650 models, and the Falcon 20,200,50 & 900EX.

Joe

JOOC, if they fly so well at M.95, why is the MMO so low (relatively speaking)?

Somewhere I've seen a Dassault video which stated there has never been a Falcon "upset."

Lance...because you can only get there in a shallow dive. To be able to cruise at .95 would require bigger engines and lots more fuel. Just because they handle well in that region doesn't mean the drag curve isn't going ballistic just the other side of the .865 MMO.

Karl...sorta not quite true. Memory dims on the fine detail but there was a DA900 coming out of Kosovo (or that vicinity) on a UN charter just after that war and the pilots got into a fight with the autopilot leading to a violent PIO. Every passenger in the rear of the aircraft was killed - thrown around the cabin by the negative and positive G. Afterwards Dassault asked for the aircraft back and did a detailed structural study...the airframe was undamaged. I believe they put a new interior in the aircraft and it still flies to this day.

Like I said above...STRONG aircraft.

A very true statement!

The Falcon 50 is by far the best flying corporate jet I have ever flown, the closely farllowed second best is the Falcon 900 EX.

Of course What do I know, I have only flown the Lear 23,24 &35, the Jet Commander 1121, 1123 & 1124, Lockeed Jet Star, all the Saberliners,40,60,65 & 75, the Hawker 400, the G2,G3 & G4, all the Citation 500, 550 & 650 models, and the Falcon 20,200,50 & 900EX.

Joe

great read. What a strong airplane.
http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/681.pdf

great read. What a strong airplane.
http://www.skybrary.aero/bookshelf/books/681.pdf

I can see why no one would or could operate with that much drag but I still don't see why it's an airframe limit. Seems like there has to be a stress or flight characteristic issue that dictates MMO. In any case when I win the lottery this will be the plane I want.