The Dassault Training Academy recently graduated the 1,000th trainee from its Falcon Practical Training course, underscoring the growing popularity of this advanced, hands-on educational tool.
“The real-life working conditions offered by the Practical Training Program make it the most useful and comprehensive program available from any OEM,” said Jean Kayanakis, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Customer Service and Service Center Network. “Trainees obtain access to the latest Falcon technologies and maintenance standards while benefiting from the hands-on experience of seasoned Dassault Aviation technicians and engineers.”
The academy, established in 2013, offers Falcon customers a full portfolio of training options covering the entire life cycle of their aircraft, from entry into service onward. With two locations in France – Mérignac, near Bordeaux, and Paris-Le Bourget – the Dassault Training Academy offers accredited, two-week, model-specific courses for technicians on all Falcon 900 and Falcon 2000 models, as well as the Falcon 7X and 8X.
Falcon Practical Training, the academy’s baseline course, is designed to complement theoretical instruction provided by CAE, FlightSafety International and Global Jet Services, Dassault’s Authorized Training Providers. It is open to qualified maintenance technicians from operator flight departments, Dassault owned service centers and Falcon Authorized Service facilities. A key component of the Practical Training syllabus is Falcon Immersive Practical Training, a unique 3D virtual reality tool that allows up to ten trainees and their trainer to access any component or part (even in the narrowest, hardest-to-reach areas of the airplane) without using actual hardware.
The Dassault Training Academy also offers a range of specialized offerings such as Structural Repair Training, a five-day course in mapping and handling corrosion and composite repair. Offered in partnership with Aerocampus Latresne near Bordeaux, this course enables maintenance crews to examine a Falcon aircraft for structural damage and deliver repair in line with Structural Repair Manual (SRM) or Dassault-designed repair schemes.
To meet increasing demand and satisfy operator requests for more targeted training, the academy is looking to further develop its specialized course offerings, for example in the areas of pilot maintenance familiarization servicing tasks and cabin system maintenance. Dassault Aviation was the first business jet manufacturer to obtain EASA approval to operate as a Part 147 Training Center.
