Bombardier Challenger

The Bombardier (Canadair) CL-600 Challenger, a medium to long range widebody corporate jet, was developed by Learjet designer Bill Lear. Known as the LearStar 600, this design was first conceived in 1974. In 1976 Canadair purchased the exclusive production, development and marketing rights.

Three development Challengers were built, the first of which flew for the first time on November 8 1978, the others flying in March and July the following year. However the first aircraft crashed in a deep stall accident and while certification was granted in August 1980.

Bombardier Challenger types:

• CL-600 original production version, powered by Avco Lycoming ALF-502L turbofans of 33.6 kN thrust each.
• CL-601-1A refined version including winglets to reduce drag and more powerful General Electric CF34-1A engines.
• CL-601-3A further up-rated engine and a glass cockpit. This was the first version marketed by Bombardier.
• CL-604 major upgrade of the 601 design, incorporating more powerful General Electric CF34-3B engines, larger fuel supply, completely new undercarriage, structural improvements to wings and tail, and a new electronic flight instrumentation system.
• Challenger 300 a new-generation CL-604 with two Honeywell AS907 turbofan engines each providing 35.81 kN thrust.
• Challenger 800 a variant of the Bombardier Regional Jet airliner,has a5,778km transcontinental range.?

Developing nation:	Canada.
Manufacturer/designer:	Bombardier Aerospace.
Production line:	Montreal – Dorval IAP, Quebec Canada.
Type aircraft:	Medium to long range widebody corporate jet.
First flights:	– CL-600 November 8, 1978 C-GCGR-X. – CL-601-1A September 17, 1982. – CL-601-3A September 28, 1986. – CL-604 March 17,1995 C-FVUC. – Challenger 300 August 14, 2001 C-GJCJ. – Challenger 800 October 13,1996 C-FBGX.
First delivery:
Cockpit crew:	two pilots.
Passengers:	up to 19.
Cabin Length:	8,72 m
Cabin diameter:	2,19 m.
Cabin height:	1,85 m.
Cabin floor:	13,56 m².
Cabin Volume:	24,35 m³.
Wing span:	19,61 m.
Wing area:	48,31 m².
Wing sweep:	degrees.
Fuselage length:	20,85 m.
Fuselage diameter:	2,49 m.
Height:	6,30m.
Engines:	– two General Electric CF34-1A each rated 40,66 kN.
Weight:	– empty: 9.049 Kg. – max. zero-fuel weight: 11.151 Kg. – fuel: 7.559 Kg. – max. payload: 2.229 Kg.
Max. take off weight:	19.950 Kg.
Max. landing weight:	15.309 Kg.
Cruise speed:	786 km/h.
Max. speed:	851 km/h.
Max. ceiling:	12.495 m.
Range:	– max. range?6.375 km.
Performance:	– max. rate of climb at sea level1.355 m per minute. – take-off run1.646 m at max. take-off weight. – landing run1.082 m at max. landing weight.

 

	Bombardier Challenger 300*
Engines:	– two Honeywell HTF7000 turbofan each rated 30.4 kN.
Weight:	– empty: 8.369 Kg. – max. zero-fuel weight: 11.839 Kg. – fuel: 6.418 Kg. – max. payload: 1.247 Kg.
Max. take off weight:	17.463Kg.
Max. landing weight:	15.309 Kg.
Range:	5.741 Km.

* Generally similar to the Canadair CL-601 except in the following particulars.

	Bombardier Challenger 800*
Passengers:	– executive up to 19 pax.- corporate shuttle up to 50 pax.
Cabin Length:	14,76 m
Cabin diameter:	2,19 m.
Cabin height:	1,85 m.
Cabin floor:	30,29 m².
Cabin Volume:	53,80 m³.
Wing span:	21,21 m.
Wing area:	48,35 m².
Fuselage length:	26,77 m.
Fuselage diameter:	2,49 m.
Height:	6,22 m.
Engines:	– two General Electric CF34-3B1 turbofan each rated 38.84 kN.
Weight:	– max. zero-fuel weight:17.917 Kg. – fuel: 8.303 Kg. – max. payload: 2.540 Kg.
Max. take off weight:	24.040 Kg.
Max. landing weight:	21.319 Kg.
Cruise speed:	719 km/h.
Max. speed:	851 km/h.
Max. ceiling:	12.495 m.
Range:	5.778 Km.
Performance:	– take-off run 1.919 m at max. take-off weight – landing run 887 m at max. landing weight.

* Generally similar to the Canadair CL-601 except in the following particulars.

Canadair Challenger production:

Approximately built 709, active 697, stored 2, scrapped 0 and written-off 10 at May 2005.

Canadair Challenger built of each type:

85 CL-600.

66 CL-601.

134 CL-601-3A.

59 CL-601-3R.

314 CL-604.

51 Challenger 300.

Challenger 800.

 

10 Canadair Challengers written-off by accidents:

– 03apr1980 C-GCGR-X CL-600 Canadair crashed after a non-scheduled stall at Mojave, CA USA 1 fatalities / 3 on board. – 03jan1983 N805C CL-600 A.E. Stanley Manufacturing Co crashed against mountain during approach to Sun Valley-Friedman Memorial Airport, ID USA crash site 4 km N of Hailey, ID. 2 fatalities / 2 on board. – 07feb1985 N779XX CL-601 TAG Aviation undercarriage collapsed after too early landing (44 m) during approach at Milano-Linate Airport Italy. 0 fatalities / 12 on board. – 20mar1994 N88HA CL-601-3A Crystal Aviation written-off after emergency landing in a field in attempt to reach Bassett AP, NE USA after loss of power in both engines. 0 fatalities / 2 on board. – 24apr1995 144613 CC-144B Canadian Armed Forces written-off at CFB Shearwater, Canada 0 fatalities / ? on board. 10oct2000 C-FTBZ CL-604 Bombardier Aerospace during take-off from Wichita-Mid-Continent Airport, KS USA the airplane stall at an altitude too low for recovery. 2 fatalities / 3 on board. – 04jan2002 N90AG CL-604 Agco Corporation crashed during take-off from Birmingham IAP, United Kingdom. 5 fatalities / 5 on board. – 28nov2004 N873G CL-600 Air Castle crashed out of control in take-off from Montrose County Airport, CO USA. 3 fatalities / 6 on board. – 02feb2005 N370V CL-600 DDH Aviation the pilot aborted the takeoff at Teterboro Airport, NJ USA, but the plane skidded off the runway. It went through the perimeter fence, crossed a highway and crashed into a building. About 15 people were injured, one critically, but nobody was killed. 0 fatalities / 11 on board. 09mar2005 N660RM CL-600 Romeo Mike Aviation during take-off at Tupelo Regional Airport, MS USA. 0 fatalities / 7 on board.

 

Canadair Challenger military operators:
Canadian Armed Forces.*	-1 CX-144A. -2 CC-144. – 2 CE-144C. – 2 CU-144A – 3 CC-144B – 3 CE-144C – 4 CC-144A
Luftwaffe (Germany).	– 6 CL-601-1A
Royal Australian Air Force.	– 3 CL-604
Royal Danish Air Force.	– 3 CL-604
Croatia Government.	– 1 CL-604
Czech Government.	– 1 CL-601-3A
Gouvernement du Quebec.	– 1 CL-601
Jordanian Government.	– 1 CL-604
Korea Maritime.	– 1 CL-604

Summary May 2005.

* delivered original as:

1 CX-144A test aircraft by AETE, Cold Lake

4 CC-144B VIP and utility transports

7 CE-144A electronic warfare trainers

3 CP-144A maritime patrol aircraft

2 CC-144 VIP utility transport