London and other currently off-limits airports will be accessible to this super-midsize business jet once it receives steep-approach certification.
The Bombardier Challenger 350 has earned popularity over the years. Manufacturers expect the super-midsize aircraft to be steep-approach certified. Due to sharp approach angles and/or short runways, the Challenger 350 cannot land at (or take off from) London City and other airports other than London City.
For the previous version of the aircraft, a runway of fewer than 2,400 feet was needed for landing. When Challenger 350 aircraft are delivered after the enhanced capabilities have been added, Bombardier says it can retrofit them.
The close proximity of the airport to London City makes it particularly advantageous for accessing the city’s financial district. The distance from Heathrow Airport is roughly twice as far as that from Gatwick Airport.
Phenom 300s from Embraer and Cessna Citation Latitudes from Textron Aviation were delivered in 54 examples each. Private-flight companies and fractional companies are fond of all three aircraft.
The Challenger 350’s production run began in 2014, and it just passed the 200-delivery mark last year, topping the annual deliveries list.
Featuring a range of nearly 3,700 miles (3,200 nautical miles)-enough to cross the Atlantic Ocean or the United States-a top speed of 548 mph, and a maximum passenger capacity of 10, the Challenger 350 can carry ten passengers at once. There are just over 25 feet in length, six feet of height, and seven and two inches in width in the cabin. Eight passengers can be seated in two groups of four club seats in the standard configuration.
A dozen other new enhancements have been added to Bombardier’s in-service aircraft alongside steep-approach retrofits for the Challenger 350. Two cabin upgrades, for the Challenger and Global models, will increase legroom by installing conference tables with single-pillar pedestals. Most of the upgrades will be made to the flight deck, but two will be made to the cabin.
On Bombardier’s website, you can also use a configurator to see what your cabin of interest could look like with different floorplans, materials, and finishes. As well as seeing what each color and design looks like against different backgrounds, like above the clouds or over Hong Kong or London, you can also see the different stripes on the plane’s exterior.
