It was developed by Dassault Aviation from its successful Falcon 20 business jet, and was larger with more powerful engines, with capacity to carry 40 passengers.

The Mystère 30 was publicly announced in January 1964,[1] and commercial agreements made with the German company Siebelwerke/ATG to help build the aircraft.

[1] In 1970, seeing that French regional airlines were showing interest in the Soviet Yakovlev Yak-40 trijet transport, Marcel Dassault ordered design work to start on a new small jet airliner, the Falcon 20T, which would combine the wings, tail engines and undercarriage of the Falcon 20 with a new fuselage accommodating 24 passengers.

The heavier engine resulted in the forward fuselage being lengthened by 80 cm (31 in) for centre-of-balance reasons, which in turn allowed an additional window and more seats to be fitted.

[6] Construction of the prototype was completed on 24 March 1973, and after ground testing, it made its first flight at Dassault's Mérignac works on 11 May 1973.

[7] In July the aircraft was returned to the factory for modifications, with the fuselage being lengthened by 40 cm (16 in) and the horizontal tail surface being enlarged.

The Falcon 40 (a joint venture with Aérospatiale[2]) was aimed at European markets which were not subject to the same constraints, and would carry 40 passengers over 1,380 km (750 nmi; 860 mi).