Dassault wins record Falcon orders

Dassault Aviation, the only European maker of large business jets, won record orders last year for its Falcon corporate jets for the second successive year, as the French group benefited from the global surge in demand for private jet travel.
New orders increased from 123 to 158 and have risen steeply from the low point of only 40 in 2003 at the bottom of the last recession.
The popularity of executive jets has reached a record level worldwide driven by strong economic growth, rising corporate profits and the soaring bonuses of high earners in particular in the financial sector.
Charles Edelstenne, Dassault chief executive, said on Thursday that sales had been driven in particular by demand outside North America.
"The US market has not weakened, other markets have gained strength," he said. Growth was particularly strong in Europe, the Middle East, Brazil and India. The share of the US market in new orders for Falcon jets had fallen from 60 per cent to 40 per cent, with Europe playing a growing role.
Dassault, which had a total order backlog of 300 business jets at the end of December, said it expected to deliver more than 80 aircraft in 2007, up from 61 last year and 51 in 2007. The volume of deliveries would increase further in 2008.
15/02/07 Kevin Done/Euro2day, Greece

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Categories: foreign feb 2007