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Bombardier Challenger 600 series

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Challenger 600/601/604/605
Bombardier CL-604, built 2001
Role Business jet
Manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace
First flight 8 November 1978
Status In production

The Bombardier Challenger 600 series is a family of business jets designed by Bill Lear and produced first by Canadair until that company was bought by Bombardier Aerospace in 1986.

Development

The aircraft was an independent design by Bill Lear in 1976, who had resigned as Chairman of Lear Jet seven years previously. Originally dubbed the LearStar 600, Lear sold exclusive rights to produce and develop the design to Canadair, who renamed it the CL-600 Challenger.

While similar in general configuration to Lear's previous designs, notable changes were made that distinguished the new aircraft from the Learjets, including the use of a widened fuselage that allowed a 'walk-about cabin', a feature not shared by any other business aircraft of the time. The Challenger was also one of the first bizjets designed with a supercritical wing.

On 8 November 1978, the prototype aircraft took off at Montreal, Canada. The second and third prototypes flew in 1979. A 3 April 1980 test flight in the Mojave Desert resulted in disaster, the aircraft crashing due to a deep stall, killing one of the test pilots (the other test pilot and the flight test engineer parachuted to safety).

Despite the crash, both Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States certified the aircraft in 1980, albeit with restrictions to pilots including a limited maximum take-off weight. A program to reduce the aircraft's weight was then implemented to improve the aircraft's range.

Challengers can be identified visually by their distinctive fowler flap design, where the fairings can be seen below the wings, a sight much more common on commercial airliners.

Variants

Bombardier Challenger 601 shortly after take off. The main undercarriage wheels are left exposed during flight
Bombardier Challenger 605 at the Paris Air Show 2007

CL-600

  • CL-600 - original production version, powered by Avco Lycoming ALF 502L turbofans of 7,500 lbf (33.6 kN) thrust each. Built until 1983 (83 built)

CL-601

  • CL-601-1A - refined version including winglets to reduce drag and more powerful General Electric CF-34 engines. (66 built, including 4 Canadian Forces CL-144/ CC-144B)[1]
    • CL-601-1A/ER - 601-1A retrofitted with an additional fuel tank in the tail
  • CL-601-3A - engine with a higher flat rating and a glass cockpit. This was the first version marketed by Bombardier.
    • CL-601-3A/ER - 601-3A with an additional, optional fuel tank in the tail
  • CL-601-3R - the tail tank was made standard, and airline style 'unsided' engines (no left or right) were used, matching what was used on the CRJ.
CL-604 of the Royal Danish Air Force at RIAT 2010

CL-604

  • CL-604 - major upgrade of the 601 design, incorporating more powerful engines, larger fuel supply, including saddle tanks in the rear of the aircraft, new undercarriage for a higher takeoff and landing weight, structural improvements to wings and tail, and a new Collins ProLine 4 avionics system. The C-143A is a single Challenger 604 aircraft, which was acquired by the United States Coast Guard in December 2005 as its new Medium Range Command and Control Aircraft (MRC2A).[2]
  • CL-604 Multi-Mission Aircraft - militarized version in Danish service.[3][4] The aircraft are employed on maritime patrol and Search and Rescue missions.[3][4] They are capable of landing on the short, rough, gravel airstrips common in the Arctic.[5]

CL-605

  • CL-605 - introduced in early 2006 as an avionics and structural upgrade of the 604 design. Structural improvements include larger cabin windows. Cockpit instrumentation updated with the Collins Proline 21 avionics and "electronic flight bag" capability. It can be visually identified by a new, rounded tailcone.

CL-610

  • CL-610 Challenger E was to have been a stretched version with seating for 24 passengers. Development was halted by Canadair in 1981 without any having been built. A few years later, a new project would develop the Canadair Regional Jet based on a stretched Challenger design.

Operators

Military operators

The Challenger 601 is used to transport the Canadian Royal Family, Governor General, and Prime Minister using the designation CC-144 Challenger.
U.S. Coast Guard VC-143 Challenger provides VIP transport for high-ranking members of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard using the designation Coast Guard 02.
 Argentina
 Australia
 Canada
 China
 Croatia
 Czech Republic
 Denmark
 Germany
 United States

Civilian operators

 Canada
 Switzerland

Specifications (CL-601-3A)

Data from [7]

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two (pilot & co-pilot)
  • Capacity: Up to 19 passengers, depending on configuration

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. ^ http://www.ody.ca/~bwalker/CF_Challenger_detailed.html
  2. ^ DOD 4120.15-L - Addendum
  3. ^ a b "Update: Denmark's Arctic Assets and Canada's Response — Danish Air Force Aircraft on a Mission over Canada's High Arctic". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-07. Retrieved 2009-07-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ a b "Canadian Aerospace – Background – Challenger 604 MMA". Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved 2009-07-12. [dead link]
  5. ^ "Update: Denmark's Arctic Assets and Canada's Response — Danish Air Force Aircraft on a Mission over Canada's High Arctic". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2009-10-11. Retrieved 2009-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ Lambert, Mark (1993–1994). Jane's All The World's Aircraft (1993-94). pp. 27–28. ISBN 0-7106-1066-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)