Photograph:
Bombardier Challenger 850 (CL-600-2B19) VH-LEF (c/n 6100) at Avalon, VIC in March 2009 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Business and executive aircraft
Power Plant:
Two 8,730 lbst General Electric CR34-3B1 turbofans
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 21.21 m (69 ft 7 in)
- Length: 26.77 m (87 ft 10 in)
- Height: 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 48.35 m² (20 ft 5 in)
- Max speed: 850 km/h (528 mph)
- Economical cruising speed: 787 km/h (489 mph) – Mach 0.80
- Rate of climb: 1,035 m/min (3,395 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 12,497 (41,010 ft)
- Take-off run: 1,922 m (6,305 ft)
- Landing distance: 1,256 m (4,120 ft)
- Normal range: 4,381 km (2,722 miles)
- Empty weight: 15,440 kg (34,039 lb)
- Fuel weight: 8,290 kg (18,274 lb)
- Max payload: 4,245 kg (9,382 lb)
- Loaded weight: 24,040 kg (53,000 lb)
History:
The Bombardier Challenger 850 series of corporate aircraft was launched by Bombardier in May 2005, and was a development of the Model CRJ-200 airliner. It was one of a series of three aircraft, the others being the Models 870 and 890. It used the widebody of the airliner and was said to have proven advantages over other aircraft in having low direct operating costs, outstanding dispatch reliability and ease of maintenance. It could fly at Mach 0.80 (850 km/h) for 4,132 km (2,568 miles) with 27 passengers, but if fitted with a passenger configuration to seat 50 it had a range of 2,643 km (1,642 miles). The Models 870 and 890 were derivatives of the 70-seat CRJ-700 and 90- seat CRJ-900 models and could fly at Mach 0.82 (872 km/h).
In a corporate configuration the Challenger 850 seated 15. The cabin height was 1.85 m (6 ft). The first Model 850 was delivered to Suncor Energy Inc in Western Canada. The new series was described by Bombardier as the introduction of Bombardier Corporate Shuttle Solutions – a complete family of corporate shuttle jets, backed by a full engineering program with sales and customer support team. The company described the 850, 870 and 890 series as combining the reliability drawn from the delivery of 1,233 Model CRJs. The type came in three cabin configurations: Standard, Split Cabin and Deluxe Cabin.
First of the series to be registered in this region was a Model 850 VH-LEF (c/n 6100 – ex C-FGTV) registered to Linfox Air Charter on 8 May 2007.