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At a glance
Measured figures
Challenger 650 · Range
Single source7,400 km (4,600 mi, 4,000 nmi)[source]
SR20-G3 · 1 × Continental IO-360-ES six cylinder, horizontally-opposed piston aircraft engine
Single source1 × Continental IO-360-ES six cylinder, horizontally-opposed piston aircraft engine , 200 hp (150 kW)[source]
Challenger 650 · 2 × General Electric CF34 -3B turbofans thrust each
Single source2 × General Electric CF34 -3B turbofans , 41.0 kN (9,220 lbf) thrust each[source]
Challenger 650 · Wing area
Single source45.4 m 2 (489 sq ft)[source]
SR20-G3 · 828 ft/min (
Single source828 ft/min (4.21 m/s)[source]
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
Configuration
| Specification | Bombardier Challenger 600 series | Cirrus SR20 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Business jet[source] | Light aircraft[source] |
| Manufacturer | Canadair Bombardier Aerospace[source] | Cirrus Aircraft[source] |
| Status | In production[source] | — |
| Number built | 1,066 (October 2018)[source] | 2,084 (through 2025)[source] |
| Manufactured | 1980–present[source] | 1999–present[source] |
| First flight | 8 November 1978[source] | 21 March 1995[source] |
| Developed into | Bombardier CRJ100/200 Bombardier Global Express[source] | Cirrus SR22[source] |
| Capacity | 2,200 kg (4,850 lb) and up to 19 passengers[source] | 3 passengers (4 using 60/40 flex seating in post-2012 models)[source] |
| Aspect ratio | 8.46[source] | — |
| Fuel capacity | 9,072 kg (20,000 lb)[source] | — |
| Cabin | 1.83 m (6 ft) high, 2.41 m (7 ft 11 in) wide[source] | — |
| Thrust/weight | 0.38[source] | — |
| Takeoff | 1,720 m (5,640 ft) (SL, ISA, MTOW)[source] | — |
| Landing | 732 m (2,402 ft) (SL, ISA, typical)[source] | — |
| Role | family of business jets[source] | — |
| Source measurement | In April 1976, Canadair acquired the LearStar 600 concept. By then it was 63 ft (19 m) long, and 53.3 ft (16.2 m) wide, and capable of a maximum speed of Mach 0.85 and a range of 7,240 km (3,910 nmi). As an executive jet, it had sufficient capacity for 14 passengers. In a freighter configuration, it had a 3,400 kg (7,500 lb) payload capacity, loaded and unloaded through a forward door. As a commuter airliner , it could seat up to 30 passengers in a 2–1 seating configuration. Canadair developed the design into a large airframe, furnished with a new supercritical wing design, new avionics and engines, as well as for compliance with new FAR part 25 standards. The configuration was frozen in August and a 1/25 model was tested in the National Aeronautical Establishment transonic wind tunnel . Reportedly, in excess of 1,800 hours of wind tunnel testing were performed upon the supercritical wing alone.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Development / Origins; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Due to the expansion of the design, the original powerplant configuration became untenable. Engine manufacturer Lycoming proposed developing a new model, the Lycoming ALF 502 L, which Canadair's design team accepted for the enlarged Challenger, and around which drew up its general arrangement. The type's wide cargo door had been designed in response to the needs of FedEx , the type's original launch customer, having placed an order for 25 aircraft. FedEx had experienced problems with the General Electric CF34 engines, and favoured the Lycoming ALF 502D, instead. Those later had delivery troubles and lacked performance. Reportedly, FedEx converted most of its orders into the Challenger's stretched version, intending to carry up to 12,500 lb of freight. FedEx ultimately opted to cancel its orders due to the US Airline Deregulation Act , and the specific aircraft that were already in production were sold to other customers instead.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Development / Launch; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage By early March 1978, the first prototype was almost finished and the assembly of the two other had debuted. Destined to control handling qualities and test flight performance, it was formally rolled out on 25 May 1978. 116 orders were confirmed 19 months after go-ahead. By this point, production jigs allowing for a production rate of up to seven Challengers per month had been established, ready for quantity production to proceed. Airframe structural testing began in February 1979. Operational test cycling started in December 1979, simulating 72,638 flight hours by February 1985, while its predicted lifetime was 30,000 hours.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Development / Launch; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage On 8 November 1978, the prototype aircraft took off for its maiden flight from Montreal, Quebec . The flight test and certification program were conducted at Mojave Kern County Airport instead of Canada due to better weather. The second and third prototypes first flew during 1979. A test flight on 3 April 1980 in the Mojave Desert resulted in disaster. The aircraft crashed due to the failure of the release mechanism to detach the recovery chute after a deep stall , killing one of the test pilots. The other test pilot and the flight test engineer parachuted to safety.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Development / Flight test phase; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The Challenger's wing has been referred to as being a modified NACA symmetrical aerofoil. Akin to other supercritical wings, it features a rounded leading edge , an inverted camber , a blunt trailing edge and scalloping of the underside. The twin-spar wing box structure spans the entire length of the wing and is compartmentalised to form five internal fuel tanks; these tanks can accommodate up to 14,661 lb of fuel, nearly half the aircraft's empty weight.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The fuselage diameter was designed to accommodate an unobstructed cabin floor, a cabin height of 6 ft 1 in in the centre section, and space for the wing box , underfloor integral fuel tanks, air ducts, and various control cabling. It was also designed to easily accommodate Canadair's early plans to stretch the fuselage, for which equal-length plugs are installed fore and aft of the centre section to greatly increase the Challenger's capacity.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Design; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Second prototype, a CL-600-1A11, c/n 1002, was allocated to the RCAF after finishing its test programme. Used at the Aerospace Engineering and Test Establishment (AETE), CFB Cold Lake until retirement in 1993, it is now preserved at the CFB Winnipeg , designated CC-144 in service.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Variants / Challenger 600 (CL-600-1A11); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Built from 1996 through 2006, over 360 were delivered. Early ones were selling for $4.0–$4.5 million and late models for less than $8 million in 2016. With 27,000 to 27,100 lb (12,200 to 12,300 kg) operating empty weights , it carries six or seven passengers and full fuel with the increased MTOW . It is able to cruise for 7.5–8.0 hrs at Mach 0.80 and to fly five passengers 4,000 nm at Mach 0.74 up to FL 410.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Variants / Challenger 604/605/650; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Thrust lapse as altitude increases, hefty power, and wing loadings affects hot-and-high performance. It takes off in 3,500 to 4,000 ft (1,100 to 1,200 m) for under 800 nmi (1,500 km; 920 mi) missions, in 5,684 ft (1,732 m) at MTOW and sea level. In 9,123 ft (2,781 m) at ISA+20C and 5,000 ft (1,500 m) altitudes, TOW is reduced to 47,535 lb (21,562 kg) to meet climb requirements.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Variants / Challenger 604/605/650; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Pro Line 4 avionics include six 7.25 in (18.4 cm) cathode-ray tubes and dual Flight management systems . It burns 3,800 lb (1,700 kg) in the first hour, 3,200 lb (1,500 kg) in the second hour, 2,800 lb (1,300 kg) in the third hour then 2,000 lb (910 kg)/hr. Scheduled maintenance is done every 200 h or six months, and major inspections are made every 96 months, and includes $110,000 landing-gear overhauls, the 8,729 lbf (38.83 kN) CF34-3B turbofans cost $375 per engine per hour.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Variants / Challenger 604/605/650; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Following a first flight in 2015, the Challenger 650 was certified and introduced in 2015. Compared to the Challenger 605, it has a redesigned interior cabin, Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Advanced avionics, similar to the Challenger 350, Synthetic vision system (SVS) and a 5% increase in takeoff thrust. In 2023, its equipped price was $33M.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Variants / Challenger 650; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage The 500th unit was rolled out in May 2000. The 1000th, a 650, was delivered to NetJets in December 2015. Including the Challenger 300 and Challenger 850 , the 1,600 Bombardier Challengers in-service had logged 7.3 million hours and over 4.3 million flights by early 2017. As of December 2017, close to 1,100 Challenger 600 Series have been delivered. By October 2018, the global Challenger fleet amounted to 997: of these, 611 were based in North America, 151 in Europe, 93 in Latin America, 78 in Asia-Pacific, 37 in Africa and 23 in Middle East.[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Operators; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Capacity: 2,200 kg (4,850 lb) and up to 19 passengers[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Length: 20.85 m (68 ft 5 in)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Wingspan: 19.61 m (64 ft 4 in)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Height: 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Wing area: 45.4 m 2 (489 sq ft)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Empty weight: 12,315 kg (27,150 lb)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Max takeoff weight: 21,863 kg (48,200 lb)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Fuel capacity: 9,072 kg (20,000 lb)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Cabin: 1.83 m (6 ft) high, 2.41 m (7 ft 11 in) wide[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Powerplant: 2 × General Electric CF34 -3B turbofans , 41.0 kN (9,220 lbf) thrust each[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Range: 7,400 km (4,600 mi, 4,000 nmi)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Service ceiling: 12,000 m (41,000 ft)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Takeoff: 1,720 m (5,640 ft) (SL, ISA, MTOW)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Landing: 732 m (2,402 ft) (SL, ISA, typical)[source]Bombardier Challenger 600 series · Specifications (Challenger 650); only the objects and conditions stated in this passage | — |
| Country of origin | Canada[source]Country/countries explicitly given in the equipment row Origin column; not the country operating the row. Challenger 650 | — |
| Propellers | — | 3-bladed[source] |
| Stall speed | — | 56 kn (64 mph, 104 km/h) CAS[source] |
| National origin | — | United States[source] |