Dassault Falcon Service has announced, yesterday during the NBAA, plans to build a heavy maintenance repair and overhaul facility at Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport in Southwestern France.

A 77,520 sq. ft. will be built on a parcel of land adjacent to Dassault Aviation's manufacturing plant, to serve Falcon 7X, 8X and 5X large cabin aircraft. It will complement DFS's existing MR&O installations at Le Bourget Airport.

"The new Mérignac service center reflects Dassault Falcon Service's willingness to keep up with the steady expansion of the Falcon fleet, which now numbers more than 2,000 aircraft worldwide, and make sure customers continue benefiting from the top-notch service they've come to enjoy" said Jean Kayanakis, General Manager, Dassault Falcon Service.

The new facility, capable of accommodating six aircraft, is expected to commence operations in mid-2016, in time to handle initial C Checks for the fast-selling Falcon 7X. More than 230 7X's are now in operation and the fleet leaders (oldest aircraft in the fleet) will begin requiring heavy maintenance in 2016. DFS Mérignac will employ progressively up to 70 specialists and technicians.

Mérignac was selected because of the large pool of skilled aviation workers and subcontractors in the Bordeaux area and the multiple benefits of the proximity with the Dassault Aviation assembly plant, such as paint installations.

DFS is part of the Dassault company-owned service center network which includes five full-service facilities and seven satellite stations located in North America, South America and Europe.

The full-service facilities are in :

- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Reno, Nevada
- São Paulo, Brazil
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Le Bourget, France

Additionally, satellite service stations in :

- Van Nuys, California
- St. Louis, Missouri
- West Palm Beach, Florida
- London, England
- Rome, Italy
- Moscow, Russia
- Nice, France