Dassault Falcon Service (DFS), a Dassault Aviation subsidiary based in Paris-Le Bourget, has completed the conversion of a Falcon 900B from passenger configuration to full cargo.

The conversion, involving a company-owned aircraft, took eight days from reception of the order to approval by the French civil aviation authorities, granted under a fast-track exemption. The project entailed stripping passenger seats and furnishings and installing equipment to stow and secure freight. No major modifications to access doors or other systems were undertaken and the conversion is readily reversible back to passenger configuration.

The modification involved customer service, engineering and operating teams from DFS as well as test and certification resources from Dassault Aviation.

The aircraft is being used to transport fabric needed for the production of face masks to a plant in eastern Europe and to return completed masks for distribution in France, north Africa and other areas stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic or recovering from the lockdown. Flying these materials in a converted business jet is faster and provides greater flexibility than commercial airfreight or ground transport.

DFS specialises in the maintenance, repair and overhaul, refurbishment and modification of Falcon aircraft and on-demand charter activities.