To upgrade, or replace? An important question for business jet owners looking to keep up with the latest technology and safety features. Staying up to date can be a challenge, especially if you own an older plane. It is essential to keep your aircraft well-maintained and compliant with mandates while minimizing expenses.
You may consider replacing an older aircraft with a newer, comparable model. Instead, upgrading existing aircraft can be a sustainable and cost-saving choice that provides equivalent or even better features. If you are considering whether to upgrade your flight displays or replace the aircraft entirely, it's essential to weigh the options.
In this blog post, we'll highlight six major benefits of upgrading your Falcon 900B flight deck.
The Falcon 900B is a classic, large-cabin business jet that has been flying for decades. It was manufactured over 20 years ago, with fewer than 180 still in operation today. Its speed, reliability, and range make it a popular choice for operators looking for high performance at a reasonable cost.
Despite its age, it is listed as one of the fastest private jets in the world, along with some of its more modern relatives, the Falcon 2000 and Falcon 8X. But its quick speed can't outpace obsolete equipment or the rising cost of maintenance from supply shortages and parts availability issues.
If you love your Falcon 900B and don't want to part with it, upgrading your flight deck is the smart move. Avionics for the Falcon 900B, such as glass cockpit displays and advanced navigation systems, increase efficiency and provide peace of mind. When your aircraft is up to date with the latest technology, you can realize long-term savings and improve your flight experience.
In addition to speed, the Falcon 900B is known for its long range, with the ability to fly non-stop up to 4000 nautical miles. You can take this efficiency to the next level with the improved operations that come with a flight deck upgrade.
Upgrades can be especially beneficial for long-range flights or for operators looking to maximize performance. According to Brenton Welch, Avionics Installations Manager at Chicago Jet Group, a whole InSight display system upgrade on the Falcon 900B removes close to 255 lbs from the nose of the plane. "This puts the aircraft in a more favorable center of gravity, allowing you to fly faster and more efficiently."
This weight reduction comes from the removal of old symbol generators and CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) displays which are now obsolete. (See next: Resolving maintenance challenges.)
Flat-panel displays began replacing CRTs around the year 2000, just after production of the Falcon 900B ended. These LCDs are more reliable and functional than CRTs. Since the manufacture of CRTs stopped, the original displays have become challenging to maintain.
Finding replacement parts can become difficult and expensive, increasing the time spent on the ground. Newer flight displays help simplify maintenance and repairs, improve reliability, and reduce downtime. Modern flight displays like InSight require fewer Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), which can further reduce maintenance and repair costs.
Brenton Welch continues to explain how this works:
"On a Falcon 900B, there are 3 large LRUs in the nose of the aircraft that provide data processing to convert aircraft sensor inputs to graphical symbols that a pilot can interpret. Traditionally, these symbols feed the CRT Electronic Flight Instrument Displays in the cockpit so the pilot can view sensor data in real-time. When upgrading to InSight, these symbol generators, and associated CRT displays, are removed. All sensor-to-image processing is done within the EFI-1040 InSight displays."
LCDs have double the MTFB (Mean-Time between failures) than CRT displays. The reliability of upgraded displays combined with higher parts availability means you can reduce downtime and minimize repair costs.
Safety is always a top priority. One key benefit of upgrading to a glass cockpit display system is the increased safety it provides. Flight deck display systems enhance situational awareness for pilots with synthetic vision and terrain mapping. Flight crews have the information needed to make informed decisions quickly with easy access to critical flight information.
Large, bright displays and user-friendly controls help simplify operations and reduce pilot workload. Primary Flight Displays (PFD) present all required flight data including attitude, airspeed, altitude, and heading. Multi-Function Displays (MFD) present navigational map data including the FMS flight plan, weather, terrain, and obstacle alerts. User-friendly controls make it easy for pilots to view configurations and make selections.
Along with the peace of mind that comes when flying with the latest safety features, you can also meet NextGen mandates advancing global airspace. Achieve FANS and ADS-B Out (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) capabilities with advanced flight management systems. Optionally, communications management units and cockpit voice recorders can add Data Comm to your operations for Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) and CPDLC Departure Clearances. The ability to send text messaging to the air control tower can save you 20 seconds on every departure.
Replacing an aircraft is a significant investment that can cost millions. New Dassault aircraft similar in range and speed are listed at a price of around $58 million. In comparison, upgrading your Falcon 900B flight displays is a much more cost-effective solution, at just a fraction of the cost.
Today, Falcon 900B jets sell for $5,000 - $8,000, depending on the year, avionics, and interior upgrades. Upgrading the flight displays can add value to your aircraft and extend its life, resulting in additional long-term savings.
Maximize your investment by minimizing costs. How else can you save with a Falcon 900B upgrade? Flight displays such as InSight can provide significant cost savings through reduced fuel usage, maintenance expenses, and other operational benefits.
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Falcon 900B flight display upgrades also have environmental benefits. Modern flight displays are more energy-efficient than older avionics systems, resulting in reduced power usage. By improving efficiency and saving time with optimal routes, fuel consumption and emissions are lowered.
Why not repurpose an old aircraft? Take, for example, the Portuguese Air Force, which turned a seized drug smuggling jet into a presidential plane.
You can extend the life of your plane by replacing outdated equipment, also called "e-waste", with glass cockpit displays to keep your jet flying for longer.
There's no denying that the Falcon 900B is a gorgeous aircraft. Check out this photo of the week recently featured on the Aviation International News twitter page.
With its sleek appearance, you want your flight deck to look just as sophisticated as the exterior. With updated glass cockpit displays, it definitely does. Here is a before and after shot of the flight deck with InSight display system upgrades.
Falcon 900B flight deck: before and after
Overall, extending the life of your Falcon 900B aircraft with a complete flight deck is an investment that can pay off in the long run. It can help improve the performance, safety, and efficiency of your aircraft, while also reducing the costs associated with maintenance and repairs. If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve and enhance your flight experience, consider upgrading your Falcon 900B instead of replacing it entirely.
The InSight Flight Deck from Universal Avionics offers a complete upgrade path for your Falcon 900B. SBAS-enabled Flight Management Systems (FMS) enable advanced navigation and flight planning capabilities. UniLink communications management units and KAPTURE cockpit voice recorders transmit and record Data Comm messaging. EFI-1090 screens with pilot-friendly controls replace obsolete equipment and modernize cockpit displays. Alternatively, you can choose to upgrade to InSight while maintaining the factory FMS.
Future upgrade paths that will work in conjunction with InSight include enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) and EFB (Electronic Flight Bag) applications. ClearVision EFVS, the leading wearable head-up display in commercial aviation, allows pilots to operate safely in low-visibility conditions and complements head-down operations. The Connectivity Ecosystem extends the information exchange between flight crews and ground operations through a WiFi-enabled tablet.
Ready to Connect What's Next? Discover InSight for the Falcon 900B.