The Dassault Training Academy recently graduated the 1,000th trainee from its Falcon Practical Training course. Senior vice president, worldwide customer service and service centre network Jean Kayanakis says: “The real-life working conditions offered by the Practical Training programme make it the most useful and comprehensive programme available from any OEM. 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, at 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 authorised training providers CAE, FlightSafety International and Global Jet Services. It is open to qualified maintenance technicians from operator flight departments, Dassault owned service centres and Falcon authorised service facilities. A key component of the syllabus is Falcon Immersive Practical Training, a 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 aircraft, without using actual hardware.

The Dassault Training Academy also provides a range of specialised offerings such as Structural Repair Training, a five-day course in mapping and handling corrosion and composite repair. 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 specialised courses in the areas of pilot maintenance familiarisation 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 centre.