The Dassault Falcon 10 Mer displays the elegance and classic lines that define a glorious era in France's military history - a time when new equipment was being procured regularly, when the navy commissioned two modern aircraft carriers (the Foch and the Clemenceau) in a single decade, as well as a new generation of helicopters, fighters, maritime patrol aircraft and the Falcon 10 Mer for the support mission. It's an era that we are never likely to see again. On the ramp at Base Aeronavale (naval air station) Landivisiau, the Falcon 10 Mer aircraft in their elegant blue and white colour scheme stand out against the based grey Rafales. The Falcons with their smart white belly, fighter-like swept wings and a performance to match -Mach 0.87 at flight level 450, a speed that made the Falcon 10 one of the fastest ever business jets when it was certified in 1973. The aircraft was nicknamed 'Corporate Bullet' and today remains the zippiest of Falcons. The veteran jets, flown by 57S (S stands for escadrille - a small squadron or a flight) are, according to the unit's commander, Capitaine de Fregate Francois Daylaud, repainted every six years to prevent corrosion. "Number 101 has just been repainted and we also rinse them thoroughly after each flight over the sea," he said.
展开▼
