Worldwide Customer Service & Service Center Network
Dassault Aviation
It’s always great to see Mike Higgins when I can catch a few minutes with him. He’s regularly flying globally in one of the Dassault aircraft that they operate for Bechtel, a privately owned engineering company in the US. Mike also serves as the company’s Director of Flight Operations. The professionally operated, split-base flight department employs 16 pilots, 7 maintenance technicians, three dispatchers, several cabin safety officers and one team member in accounting.
When he comes down to earth, Mike can participate on the Falcon Operator Advisory Board. He’s been a member for 12 years and is the acting chairman. Rolf Zeller, vice chairman, assists Mike in sharing much of the responsibility of OAB management. Rolf is chairman of ATL Group, operating a Falcon 7X out of Bern, Switzerland. We are grateful for their time coordinating meetings and taking input from operators around the world.
“The OAB is the voice of Falcon operators worldwide,” says Mike. “I find the work we do to be important for operators and beneficial for Dassault. Falcon Jet supports the OAB with their large senior management presence at our annual board meetings. They have always valued the opinions of the board on actionable changes being made within the fleet. Nothing’s off the table; they take OAB input seriously and as it is intended, with the best interests of operators and fleets in mind. Collectively, the OAB brings a lot of real-world experience to the meetings, and they recognize and appreciate that knowledge.”
The Virginia-headquartered corporation is a particularly interesting user because of its over 70-year relationship with Dassault. As a global engineering, procurement and construction company, that has a reputation for large-scale projects, often in inhospitable environments, while focused on safety, quality and ethics. For instance: The Hoover Dam, the Trans Arabian Pipeline, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, 30% of the worlds LNG production capacity, the Chernobyl Containment structure, U.S. nuclear power plants and data centers.
That commitment to safety and quality is part of the reason Bechtel is one of the longest continuous users of Dassault aircraft. It acquired two Falcon 20s in the 1960s and has continually operated at least one Dassault aircraft ever since. Now operating the 8X, Mike says: “Dassault really built an impressive and beautiful aircraft with the 8X.”
Mike’s Flight department is not a unique case; several other Falcon operators, among our OAB members, go all the way back to the Falcon 10 and 20 days and have remained loyal users, building close personal and professional relationships with us.
Bechtel, like Dassault, is one of the largest family-owned companies in the world. “We are also a global engineering company driven by high safety and ethical standards; we love a challenge,” Mike tells me. “There is an affinity between the two companies, including a willingness to invest in people as well as big projects and look beyond quarterly results.”
Starting his career as a flight instructor, Mike moved on to flying night freight in unglamorous twins with no autopilot, and then eventually Citations and the Lear 36. Mike finally got a shot at Bechtel in 2001. At that time, every pilot had to have an interview with the chairman, not to test technical knowledge, but to assess character. “I think I was too young to fully understand how intimidating that could be,” says Mike.
Given the longevity of the relationship between the two companies, I asked Mike’s thoughts on brand loyalty.
“It’s not a given that the next plane we buy is always a Falcon. As director of the flight department, I must look at all our options and be fair and open minded in the process. It’s certainly an advantage that we know Falcon aircraft, the organization and the customer support system so well. We know how to procure the help we need at all levels and that kind of historical relationship is extremely valuable.”
“I understand why brand loyalty is such a strong factor in this industry. As such, Dassault needs to continue to develop, build and offer support for the best-in-class aircraft that they are known for, and they certainly seem focused on this. I was recently fortunate enough to have the opportunity to fly in the 6X, and I was very impressed with the aircraft—its power, handling capabilities, technology and supremely quiet and comfortable cabin were exceptional.”
“I truly believe for my team and I, as well as our passengers, it’s a point of pride to be a long-time Falcon operator.”
Senior Vice President, Worldwide Falcon Customer Service & Service Center Network
Dassault Aviation
