Dassault Falcon Expects Business Jet Sales To Pick Up Next Year

SUBANG (Selangor, Malaysia), Dec 16 (Bernama) -- French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Falcon is confident that its business jet sales will pick up next year as the global economic uncertainty is expected to wane. Dassault Aviation Falcon Asia Pacific Co Ltd President Jean Michel Jacob said factors affecting the uncertainties like the US presidential race and slumping oil price would be left behind as the economy stabilised. "There are many reasons why people will consider investing in business jets or replace their old aircraft and more will come to the decision when it is safe to spend during a more stable economy," he told a media briefing here Thursday. Jacob said the market was slow for some time but there was a lot of interest over the last few months and he was optimistic on the positive feedback it received for its new model, Falcon 8X during a promotional tour. "This year is not a beautiful year for the company, although there is some sales but mostly for pre-owned aircraft with very few orders for new ones," he said. Despite slower demand globally for private jets for the past two to three years, the market in Asia Pacific is still active, he said, adding that it was probably more active than that of the Northeast Asia. He said with China's economy stabilising, while that of Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia was doing better, it would prompt demand for private jets. Despite the economic turbulent, Malaysia is still doing well compared with the rest of the world despite the slide in crude oil prices, he said. Jacob said Malaysia is a good market for Falcon as it has so far sold 12 private business jets and the company is targeting to sell at least two aircraft a year to more corporations in the country. He said Assault’s aviation sales in Southeast Asia accounted for about 30 per cent of its Asian market share and it is striving for up to 50 per cent despite less activity in China. Dassault boasts a 30 per cent global market share for mid-size to large ultra-long-range category aircraft. On Falcon 8X model, Jacob said the company is targeting to sell at least 10 aircraft a year for the whole of Asia. It has already received 50 bookings from the US, Russia, Germany, and Middle Eastern countries and expects orders from Asia, particularly China, he said. -- BERNAMA