The business jet market continues to improve as the preowned inventory shrinks and demand for new aircraft recovers in North America and the Asia-Pacific region, Dassault Aviation CEO and president Eric Trappier said yesterday during a press conference at its facilities in Saint-Cloud, Paris, outlining the company’s 2018 first-half financial results. But, he added, prices for second-hand aircraft remain low and the competition for new aircraft sales remains “very tough.”

The French OEM logged orders for 18 Falcons in the first six months, compared with 14 in the year-ago period. This is net orders, after cancelations for the 5X, the program that Dassault pulled due to problems with the 5X's Safran Silvercrest engine. Trappier declined to provide a breakdown of the orders but told AIN some 5X customers shifted their order to the new 6X or existing Falcon models like the 7X, while some outright canceled their orders. Some are new 6X sales, he said.

Dassault delivered 15 Falcon jets to customers in the first half, two fewer than a year ago, though it still plans to deliver 40 Falcons in 2018 as it estimated earlier this year. Falcon backlog stood at 55 aircraft on June 30, worth €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion), compared with 52 at the end of 2017 when 5X orders were still included in the figure.