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THE PROBLEM OF BEING NUMBER ONE by Sergio Barlocchetti - ph. courtesy by Bombardier
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Return of a Bombardier’s best-selling Challenger 350, one of the most popular super-medium business jets, with more high-performance engines and an entirely new cabin design – more modern seats, 20% larger windows and latest-generation connectivity
T
he Bombardier Challenger 350 can’t be described as a new
boasts more modern seats, 20% larger windows and latest-generation
aircraft, as it was introduced in 2016. However, it’s still
connectivity. In this way Bombardier has revamped a super-classic
relatively recent and it has characteristics that make it one
model, beating its French competitors on price and its American
of the most appreciated planes in its category, super-medium business
rivals for cabin size. It seems simple when described like this, but
jets, a class the Canadian company successfully interpreted with its
bringing a project conceived many years into the digital world has
predecessor, the Challenger 300, which has sold 300 examples. And
involved a huge design effort, with a complete re-jig of the supply
as in the meantime its competitors, from Dassault to Cessna Citation
chain and maintenance procedures. The Honeywell HTF-7000
and Gulfstream, organised themselves better, the requirement arose
engines, each generating 6,850 pounds of thrust, help make the
for an updated version of the twin jet coming in at a price below 30
Challenger 350 suitable for runways less than 5,000 feet in length
million dollars. So how has Bombardier given its best-seller a new
and provide a climb speed of up to 4,500 feet a minute, consuming
lease on life? The engines, certainly, offer improved climb rates, new
less than 180 gallons of fuel an hour at high-speed cruise, reaching
tanks providing increased range, avionics to lighten the workload
around 370 knots or Mach 0.82. The aircraft climbs to 43,000 feet
for the flight crew – the aircraft now features a Rockwell Collins Pro
in around 22 minutes, or less if lightly laden. Translated into logistics,
Line 21 Advanced suite with synthetic vision, a dual inertial reference
with eight passengers on board, each assumed to weigh 225 pounds,
system, MultiScan weather radar capable of detecting turbulence,
a crew of two and full fuel tanks the aircraft can cover up to 3,200
XM satellite weather tracking – and of course, the cabin, which now
nautical miles, almost 6,500 km – in other words, it can hop from one
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The cabin has an impressive volume of 860 cubic feet, and measures 28.8 feet from the cockpit partition to the aft bulkhead. It hosts a lounge, bathroom and a walk-in baggage compartment. The Honeywell HTF-7000 engines generate 6,850 pounds of thrust each, helping to make the Challenger 350 suitable for runways less than 5,000 feet long. The aircraft’s climb rate is 4,500 feet per minute
continent to another. The cabin has a volume of 860 cubic feet and
cabin panels, creating a uniform, embracing sound that would not
is 28.8 feet in length from the cockpit partition to the aft bulkhead.
be out of place in a commercial cinema. Finally, operating costs – a
This space houses a 16.5-foot lounge, a bathroom and stowage space
rental company that knows how to make the most of it won’t blink at
for baggage. The cabin is 6.1 feet high and 7.2 feet wide. There is an
the cost of around 600-630,000 calculable dollars, but we’re talking
excellent internet connection via satellite and a superb sound system,
about Europe. In the USA and the rest of the world even better results
derived from the system on the 300 model and designed by Lufthansa
can probably be obtained. It’s also possible to spend more, knowing
Technik on the basis of its “Nice” model. Instead of the traditional
the aircraft will always be available.
loudspeakers there is a series of 22 transducers installed behind the
bombardier.com
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