Dassault Aviation Hits Major Milestone in U.S. MRO Capacity and Global Support Network on Florida’s Space Coast

SPACE COAST, Fla. (Oct. 15, 2025) –

The Economic Development Commission joined with the Melbourne Orlando International Airport and Dassault Aviation to celebrate the grand opening of the Melbourne Facility. Dassault Falcon Jet CEO Thierry Betbeze coined the new facility, available to service both North and South America, as “The Flagship of the Americas” due to its strategic location and strong talent pool.

“This state-of-the-art maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility is creating 400 full-time jobs right here in Brevard County,” stated President and CEO Lynda Weatherman. “And beyond the numbers, it’s setting a global standard of excellence for MRO operations.”

Below is a copy of Dassault Aviation’s full press release

Dassault Falcon Jet, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, today marked the opening of a major new maintenance facility at Melbourne Orlando International Airport (KMLB). This facility represents a significant expansion of Dassault’s presence in the Americas and reflects the company’s long-term commitment to customer support, operational excellence, and regional investment. It is one of the recent additions to Dassault Aviation’s global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) network.

“Our state-of-the-art Melbourne MRO is the latest expansion of our worldwide network of more than 40 service locations. It adds significant capacity in the Americas and puts more service capability closer to our Falcon customers. Dassault already has a large footprint in the United States which includes 2,500 employees, aircraft completions and sales,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.

“This new center reflects our belief in the U.S. market and the future of aerospace in Florida. The region is already home to many key industry players, a supportive business environment, and—most importantly—a highly skilled workforce. Our employees are at the heart of everything we achieve. Their dedication, expertise, and passion for aviation are what make our aircraft and our customer service second to none,” Trappier finished.

“Florida is proud to welcome Dassault Aviation’s new facility in Melbourne, which strengthens our state’s role as a global leader in aerospace and advanced manufacturing. Dassault’s investment is a testament to Florida’s skilled workforce, pro-business environment and commitment to innovation. This new service center will create high-quality jobs, expand opportunities for Floridians and ensure that our state continues to be at the forefront of aviation excellence”, said Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Intended to serve customers across North and South America and beyond, the 250,000 square-foot complex can accommodate all current Falcon models (including the in-development, ultra-long-range Falcon 10X, the largest purpose-built business jet). It is capable of performing major maintenance and modifications on up to 14 Falcon aircraft simultaneously.

The Melbourne facility can handle a full range of inspection, repair, and overhaul activities, from line maintenance through C-checks, as well as engineering and modification services. It is equipped with workshops, customer offices, and lounges. Additionally, the site is home to a new state-of-the-art 54,000 square-foot paint shop.

Melbourne is just the latest in a series of moves to extend and reinforce Dassault Aviation’s global MRO footprint. In 2024, a new facility at São Paulo Catarina Executive Airport in Brazil opened to support Falcons in Latin America. In 2023, the company’s ExecuJet MRO Services unit opened a new heavy maintenance facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. In 2024, a new heavy maintenance facility in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was opened to enhance maintenance offerings in the Eastern Hemisphere. The company now has over 60 service locations worldwide, including factory-owned and authorized facilities.

About Dassault Aviation

Dassault Aviation is a leading aerospace company with a presence in over 90 countries across six continents. Dassault designs and builds the family of Falcon business jets as well as the Rafale fighter jet. The company employs a workforce of over 12,000 and has production facilities in both France and the United States, and a worldwide service network. Since the rollout of the first Falcon 20 in 1963, over 2,700 Falcons have been delivered. The tri-jet and twin-engine lines offer outstanding efficiency and comfort, with ranges from 4,000 nm to 7,500 nm. They include the new flagship Falcon 10X, the ultra-long-range Falcon 8X, the extra widebody Falcon 6X, and the versatile Falcon 2000LXS.

For more information about Dassault Falcon business jets, visit: www.dassaultfalcon.com

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit www.SpaceCoastEDC.org.