The First Falcon’s First Flight

The Dassault Mystère 20 launched the era of the purpose-built business jet 60 years ago today.

Thursday, May 04, 2023 at 10:35 AM ET

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The first flight of the first business jet that would become the Falcon 20 took place in Bordeaux, France, on May 4, 1963. [Courtesy of Dassault Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

The Dassault Mystère 20, launched 60 years ago, pioneered the purpose-built business jet era and began the successful Falcon jet line.
Its early success was significantly boosted by an endorsement from Charles Lindbergh, which secured crucial orders from Pan Am and later Federal Express.
Drawing on Dassault's fighter aircraft heritage, the Falcon series established a reputation for beautiful design, superb handling, ruggedness, and comfort.
The Mystère 20 evolved into the Falcon 20 and a diverse family of subsequent Falcon models, with over 2,700 built and 2,100 still flying globally.

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Marcel Dassault may have said it first—but he echoed the minds of many pioneering aircraft designers before him when he quipped, “For an aircraft to fly well, it must be beautiful.” That can certainly be said of the very first of the Falcon jets for which his company, Dassault Aviation, would become famous.

The early prototype of the Mystère 20 on the production line at Dassault’s Mérignac plant. [Courtesy of Dassault Aviation]

The Dassault Mystère 20 launched the era of the purpose-built business jet 60 years ago, on May 4, 1963, in Mérignac, France, beginning the Falcon jet line that would take the U.S. market by storm.