A11 Dassault Mystere (Falcon 20)
In 1965, when the Hawker Siddeley HS748 was chosen as a navigation trainer and VIP transport for the RAAF, two other types were selected for No 34 Squadron's VIP duties. These were three Dassault Mystere 20 and two BAC-111 aircraft. Built jointly by Generale Aeronautique Marcel Dassault and Sud-Aviation, the Mystere 20 was based upon the aerodynamically and structurally-proven wing of the Dassault Mystere family of fighter aircraft.
The prototype Mystere 20, registered F-WMSH, flew on 4 May 1963 with US Pratt & Whitney JT12A turbojets, but these engines were later changed to General Electric CF700s, and in this form the Mystere flew on 10 July 1964. The first production Mystere 20 flew on 1 January 1965.
The three RAAF aircraft were Mystere 20C models. The first, A11-078, was first flown with French ferry registration F-WNGM and was delivered on 31 May 1967. A11-078 was then flown from France to RAAF Fairbairn on 7 June 1967. Captain on this ferry was Squadron Leader Geoff Kilby, with co-pilot Squadron Leader Barry Gration, who then captained the second ferry. The second aircraft, A11-085, was delivered on 24 June 1967 and arrived at Fairbairn on 4 August. The last aircraft was A11-090, delivered on 3 August 1967, and received at No 34 Squadron on 14 August.
By this stage the Mystere had also become known as the Fan-Jet Falcon, or the Falcon 20, after a large order by the American airline Pan Am. Due to the mark of engines selected, the RAAF model became the Falcon 20C. The Falcon 20 was a fast VIP transport, configured to seat eight passengers. It was the only RAAF transport aircraft to have the capability to deploy a drag chute on landing. The range was limited to about 800 nautical miles (1500 kilometres), which restricted its use primarily to short-haul east-coast shuttle services. However, the Mystere also operated throughout Australia and Papua New Guinea, and through its RAAF service these three aircraft clocked up a total of 30,000 flying hours.
With the delivery in 1989 of the new Falcon 900 VIP transports, the three Mysteres 20Cs were traded in to Hawker Pacific. In December 1989, with their RAAF markings removed, the aircraft were ferried to Sydney with civil registrations: A1-078 as VH-JSX, A11-085 as VH-JSY and A11-090 as VH-JSZ. All had been delivered by 14 December, and were due to fly to the UK in early January 1990. This did not occur and the aircraft were sold to Pel-Air Aviation, an Australian freight and charter operator. In December 1990 Pel-Air sold two of the Falcon 20Cs, VH-JSX and VH-JSY, to Hunter Aviation of Maryland, USA, where they were re-registered as N6555C and N6555L.
TECHNICAL DATA: Dassault Mystere 20
DESCRIPTION:
Eight-passenger short-range VIP transport.
POWER PLANT:
Two 1905 kg (4200 lb) thrust GE CF700-2C turbofans.
DIMENSIONS:
Wing span 16.3 m (53 ft 6 in); length 17.15 m (56 ft 3 in); height 5.32 m (17 ft 5 in).
WEIGHTS:
Empty 7000 kg (15 430 lb); max take off 12 300 kg(27 175 lb).
PERFORMANCE:
Max speed 684 km/h (425mph) below 23,500 ft (7163 m); above 23,500 ft (7163 m) Mach 0.88; ceiling 42,000 ft (12,800 m); max range 1610km (870nm) at 20,000ft (6096 m).
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