Asian Sky Quarterly 2022 Q1

PRE-OWNED MARKET SPOTLIGHT: CHALLENGER 300 & 350
HISTORY AND MODEL INTRODUCTION
During the late 1990s there were arguably only three categories
of business jets: Small, Mid-size and Large. However, over the
past 20 years this has changed, as manufacturers looked to fill in
the gaps in-between the categories. These we have Heavy, extralarge,
corporate airliners, Ultra-long-range and the longer-than-
Ultra-long-range categories introduced to the market.
The Challenger 300 is powered by a pair of Honeywell HTF7000
engines, which have high thrust power. This gives the aircraft a
significant advantage with the distance that it needs to takeoff
or land, which has been welcomed by many travelers (and their
pilots) as the Challenger 300 can access airports with smaller
runways.
But when the Bombardier Continental, as the Challenger 300
was originally known, was first introduced in 1999 it had a larger
cabin than the existing Mid-size cabin aircraft, but with and
airframe and weight that did not fit into the “Large” category. Not
wanting to class it as a Mid-size, Bombardier decided to call the
aircraft “Super Mid-size”, as a way to differentiate it from smaller
Mid-size aircraft.
The Challenger 300 has a large and beautiful flat floor cabin,
with a rear baggage compartment that is accessible in-flight.
In its normal configuration the Challenger 300 carries eight
passengers, which makes it ideal for both corporate and
family use. Its cruise range is around 3,100 nautical miles
(5,741 kilometers) at a speed of Mach 0.8. At launch it was
priced at USD$18 million – which was around the same price
as its competitors.
The Honeywell MSP maintenance program that is offered with
the aircraft has proven to be a cost-effective factor, as it reduces
the aircraft’s operating costs, maintenance downtime and helps
preserve the residual value. Having the aircraft enrolled on the
MSP program has made a big difference to the resale value of
the Challenger 300.
The updated Challenger 350 was first revealed in 2013.
Compared to the 300, the Challenger 350 has a longer wingspan,
larger cabin windows, and an upgraded avionics suite. The
engines have also been upgraded and feature a higher thrust
rating for better fuel efficiency. This increases the 350s
maximum takeoff weight and adds a further 100nm in range over
the 300.
In 2020, Bombardier refreshed its best-selling Challenger 350 with a modern interior design inspired by its flagship model, the Global 7500, which features high-speed
Ka-band and an entirely new CMS (Cabin Management System) interface.
58 | ASIAN SKY QUARTERLY — FIRST QUARTER 2022