The Arizona Cardinals are one of the oldest and most storied teams in the National Football League (NFL). The team was originally founded in Chicago in 1898. The franchise lasted in the Chicago area for sixty years, before moving to St. Louis in 1960. The team was designated the St. Louis Cardinals, similar to the Major League Baseball (MLB) team, which was located in the same city. In 1988, the Cardinals completed a move to Phoenix, Arizona. They were called the Phoenix Cardinals until 1993, when they changed the team name to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Cardinals and the Chicago Bears are the only two charter teams to still exist. Although the Cardinals are one of the oldest NFL franchises, the team also has the longest drought without a Super Bowl championship, lasting over 75 years. However, the team is set to make a push to the playoffs in the next few years after a short rebuilding period, riding behind the quarterback play of the former Heisman winning quarterback, Kyler Murray, and the team’s latest draft pick, Marvin Johnson Jr.
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Due to the complexity of operating an NFL franchise, many teams have begun utilizing business jets of some sort. The New England Patriots operate two Boeing 767s for chartering the large team around the United States for each game in the 18-week season. The Indianapolis Colts operate a Boeing 737 and several Gulfstream business jets for executive personnel transport.
The Arizona Cardinals also own several business jets to help facilitate the complex operations of the NFL franchise. The team operates an ultra-long-range Dassault Falcon 7X and also a Boeing 777 widebody jet. Let’s take a closer look at each of these two jets, as well as some of the unique features that make these aircraft so notable.
The Arizona Cardinals’ jets
As previously mentioned, the Arizona Cardinals franchise operate two private jets. The first one, a Dassault Falcon 7X, is an ultra-long-range private jet that is most likely used for transporting the executive team, as the aircraft can fit a maximum of 16 passengers, depending on the configuration.
The specific business jet owned by the Arizona Cardinals is registered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as N1AZ, per JetSpy. This aircraft was first manufactured by Dassault in 2012. According to JetSpy, this aircraft has made 33 total flights in 2024 so far, reaching a total of 103 flight hours. Its top three most visited airports are:
- Scottsdale Airport (SCF)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
The other aircraft that the Arizona Cardinals utilize is a Boeing 777. This widebody aircraft, which is registered as N777AZ, was first built in 2002. However, the Cardinals did not take ownership of this aircraft until November 2023. Per JetSpy, this aircraft has conducted only 11 flights totaling 19 flight hours in 2024. Its top three most visited airports are:
- Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- Luke Air Force Base (LUF)
About the Dassault Falcon 7X
The Falcon 7X is an extremely popular choice for business jet operators that are seeking an ultra-long-range aircraft. The aircraft was first introduced by Dassault in June 2015. It was originally developed from the Falcon 900 series that Dassault has produced for almost 40 years. The Falcon 7X kept several design features from the Falcon 900 series, but added several significant upgrades.
These upgrades include the addition of updated engines. The Falcon 7X uses three Pratt & Whitney Canada PW3007A turbofan engines, which produce over 18,000 pounds of combined thrust. These powerful engines help the aircraft reach the following performance specifications:
|
Length |
76.08 feet |
|---|---|
|
Height |
25.67 feet |
|
Wingspan |
86 feet |
|
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) |
70,000 pounds |
|
Range |
5,950 nautical miles (6,847 miles) |
|
Maximum speed |
Mach 0.9 (594 miles per hour) |
|
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.8 (528 miles per hour) |
|
Service ceiling |
51,000 feet |
Dassault increased the length of the Falcon 7X from the Falcon 900 but kept the cross-section relatively the same. Due to the longer airframe, Dassault also implemented a newly designed wing that was longer and had a higher sweep than the Falcon 900. The longer cabin can fit a maximum of 16 passengers and also has a lower cabin altitude.
About the Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is one of the most notable commercial airliners in the world. It is the largest twin-engine aircraft, and it is also the most-built widebody aircraft, with over 1,700 built. The 777 was originally introduced in 1995 with its launch customer United Airlines.
Photo: motive56 | Shutterstock
The new airliner was launched with several technological improvements, including fly-by-wire flight controls and a Honeywell glass cockpit avionics suite. Aircraft customers have the choice of three different types of engines, although the Cardinal’s aircraft is equipped with two Rolls-Royce Trent 800 turbofan engines. These powerful engines, which can reach a maximum combined thrust of over 77,000 pounds, help the 777 achieve the following performance measures.
|
Length |
208 feet one inch |
|---|---|
|
Height |
60 feet nine inches |
|
Wingspan |
199 feet eleven inches |
|
Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) |
545,000 pounds |
|
Range |
5,240 nautical miles (6,030 miles) |
|
Maximum speed |
Mach 0.89 (587 miles per hour) |
|
Cruise speed |
Mach 0.84 (552 miles per hour) |
|
Service ceiling |
43,000 feet |
The large widebody aircraft can fit a maximum of 440 passengers. However, the 777-200 that is owned by the Arizona Cardinals is configured to fit about 400 passengers.