In 1973 Dassault began planning a long range, intercontinental version of the Falcon 20. The first idea was to go with a two engine aircraft but they later elected to go with three engines for airline standards of safety. When the engineers showed their plans to Marcel Dassault he told them to proceed but to also put the aircraft on the new supercritical wing that was already being designed for the Falcon 10. Three Honeywell TFE-731 engines mounted in the tail section power the Falcon 50. When the engineers were finished computer designing the Falcon 50 not only had a new supercritical wing but also a new lightweight fuselage. The first flight of the prototype Falcon 50 occurred in November 1976.