80 Dassault Falcon 7X pilots qualify for London City operations

More than 80 Dassault Falcon 7X pilots have completed the dedicated flight training
required to operate at London City airport. The pilots have qualified less than
12 months after the long-range aircraft was approved to operate from the airport,
which in the heart of London’s financial district.

The pilot training programme – developed by Dassault and CAE SimuFlite – focuses
on general airport knowledge, steep approach landings and noise abatement departures
in CAE’s full-motion simulators. The programme is offered in the UK at CAE in
Burgess Hill, Sussex and in the USA at Morristown, New Jersey.

To operate at London City, the approved aircraft and flightcrew must demonstrate
proficiency in the steep angle 5.5 ° approach and must be capable of operating
from the airport’s short runway – 1,320m (4,327ft) for landing and 1,200m for
take-off.

The European Aviation Safety Agency granted steep approach certification to the
7X in 2008 and specifically approved it for London City flights in February 2009.

Six months later the trijet was given US steep approach certification, paving
the way for US operators to fly direct to London City and to return directly to
Teterboro, New Jersey, non-stop without refuelling, says Dassault.