Company Adds Satellite Service Stations, More GoTeams, New Levels Of ASCs In Outlying Areas

In an effort to deliver an industry leading service center experience to Falcon customers, Dassault recently undertook a major review of both its Company Owned and Authorized Service Center (ASC) network. “Our overall objective is pretty simple,” said Jacques Chauvet, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Customer Service for Dassault Falcon. “We must improve the service experience for Falcon owners, no matter where they are based and wherever they fly. To do this, we will expand what we call our ‘footprint’ of service.”

Currently, Dassault Falcon has five Company Owned Service Centers and 26 Authorized Service Centers (ASC) strategically located throughout the world. In addition, the company recently added five Satellite Service Stations with ‘GoTeams’ positioned on four continents. At the time the  traditional Falcon ASCs were established, the basic philosophy was that each center needed to meet an ultimate level of requirements in terms of equipment and services to support all Falcon models, up to and including “C” inspections. While this philosophy works well in areas with large Falcon populations such as Europe and the United States, it proved less practical in some of the new, emerging markets for business jets.

“We are now putting in place a stronger, more vibrant network that will allow ASCs to specialize in one or two aircraft models if they choose or to support all Falcon models through all phases of maintenance," Chauvet continued. "What our customers will see is a more specialized approach that will provide a quicker reaction to their needs.”

The new Dassault Falcon ASC structure will be divided into three categories: Heavy, Major and Line maintenance.

• “Heavy Service Centers” will provide comprehensive customer support for all Falcon models and hold local regulatory approvals as well as those from the FAA and EASA. Most of the ASCs in North America and many in Europe fall into this category offering a complete line of services including all levels of maintenance and inspections, Rapid Response AOG teams, refurbishments and upgrades.
• “Major Service Centers” will provide comprehensive support for Falcons of a particular model series and hold local regulatory approvals as well as those from the FAA and EASA. Services will typically include all maintenance including AOG service and inspections through a ‘C’ check. Five centers located in Finland, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, and the U.S. fall into this category.
• “Line Service Centers” will provide support for specific Falcon models and hold a minimum of local regulatory approvals. Services include what is typically called line maintenance up through A and A+ checks. Thirteen centers around the globe fall into this category.

To further enhance Dassault’s “footprint of service” Dassault Falcon has introduced company owned Satellite Service Stations. These facilities are an extension of an existing Company owned service center and are staffed with technicians, AOG support tooling and a targeted inventory of spares.
“This is a valuable new program that will directly and indirectly benefit all of our operators in many ways,” said Pierre Thielin, Vice President Customer Service for the Eastern Hemisphere. “It allows us to be closer to our customers and to respond more rapidly to their needs. It will also increase available resources at our company owned service centers to respond to AOG situations.”

The Satellite Service Stations will support basic line maintenance up through A inspections. Each will be staffed with an AOG GoTeam which will  provide rapid mobile response directly to an aircraft location with the parts and tools necessary to get an operator’s Falcon flying with minimal delay. The first such facility in the United States was opened recently in St. Louis, Missouri. Other sites currently in operation are located in Nice, France; Rome, Italy; Moscow, Russia and London, United Kingdom.

Currently other locations for Satellite Service Stations are being considered in the Northeast, Southeast and Western United States. In unveiling the new customer services strategies at Dassault Falcon, Chauvet was quick to credit the strong guidance coming from the company’s Worldwide  operator Advisory Board (OAB). “This Board represents a cross section of all Falcon operators from around the world and has been instrumental in helping us set priorities,” said Chauvet.

FMI: www.dassaultfalcon.com