Dassault Falcon 50

The first prototype flew on 7 November 1976, with French airworthiness certification on 27 February 1979, followed by U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification on 7 March 1979. The Falcon 50 was later updated as the Falcon 50EX, the first of which flew in 1996, and the last of which was delivered in 2008. and the Falcon 900 featuring a larger fuselage and the same three-engine arrangement. Dassault announced in January 2008 what is essentially a replacement aircraft for the Falcon 50, codenamed the "SMS" (Super Mid Size). The basic design process, including engine selection, was supposed to be completed by early 2009. However, in a June 2009 press conference, CEO Charles Edelstenne said that all design choices had been reopened and the goal was extended to the end of the year. Dassault and Aviation Partners Inc. have developed and certified High Mach blended winglets for the Falcon 50 & 50EX as a retrofit kit. By 2018, Falcon 50s from the mid-late 1980s were priced at $0.879 to $1.6 million while 1998-2003 Falcon 50EXs can be had for $2.95 to $3.95 million. ==Variants==

;Falcon 50 :Basic initial variant with Honeywell TFE 731-3-1C engines and optional auxiliary power unit (APU); 252 manufactured, with one serving as a prototype for the Falcon 50EX. ;Falcon 50 "Susanna" :Single Falcon 50 for Iraq modified with a Cyrano IV-C5 radar and hardpoints to carry two AM-39 Exocet antiship missiles. Used for training Mirage F1 crews and possibly carried out the attack on the USS Stark on May 17, 1987. This aircraft was flown to Iran during the Persian Gulf War and was not returned. ==Operators==

for vice-presidential use in TehranThe majority of Falcon 50s are operated by corporate and individual owners. Military and government operators ==Accidents and incidents==

• • • 27 September 2018: a runway overrun by chartered Falcon 50 N114TD, at Greenville, South Carolina, USA, resulted in the death of the pilot and copilot, as well as serious injuries to two passengers. The pilots had reportedly violated several FAA regulations, in undertaking the flight that led to the incident. • 23 December 2025: a Falcon 50 crashed near Kesikkavak, Haymana, Turkey, killing eight people. Among the deceased was the commander of the Libyan Armed Forces, Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad. ==Specifications (50EX)==