Jet Advisors: May Newsletter

This month our newsletter features a piece on Bombardier’s Challenger family of business jets, focusing primarily on the Challenger 604 and Challenger 605. Our Blog Updates section will catch you up on what we’ve been covering in our fractional blog, written by former NetJets Senior VP of Contracts David Beach.

Challenger Series Feature: Challenger 604 & 605

The 604 joined Bombardier’s successful Challenger series in the mid-1990s with increased fuel capacity, higher takeoff and landing weights, and advanced GE CF34-3B engines. The Challenger 604’s range accommodates trips from New York to Los Angeles for up to 12 passengers.

Not only is the 604 capable of traveling long legs with few to no stops in between, but it offers plenty of amenities for both passengers and pilots to make those long trips manageable. Like the Challenger 601-3A, the 604 features the Collins ProLine IV glass cockpit and a pilot-friendly avionics suite. The cabin has a generous stand-up height and over 8 feet in width. The cabin could crowd in 19 passengers, but comfortably accommodates 10 to 12 passengers. The 604’s cabin can be configured in double-club or forward club/half club/divan seating arrangements. Passengers can appreciate the Challenger 604’s deluxe galley, low noise levels, and intercontinental range.

After 10 years (1996 to 2006) of producing the Challenger 604, Bombardier continued its Challenger series with the Challenger 605. This newest member of the Challenger family inherited the popular spacious cabin and passenger capacity of its predecessor. The Challenger 605 features an improved Ethernet-based management system, upgraded galley areas, sturdier worktables, and more LED lighting.

The Challenger 605’s avionics are a substantial improvement compared to those of the Challenger 604 – despite the fact that the 604’s avionics were so successful. Bombardier opted for the more advanced Rockwell Collins ProLine 21 suite for the Challenger 605, offering Honeywell Laseref V IRS, CNS radios, and less weight.

The 605’s performance is very similar to that of its older brother, the 604, but it boasts better numbers in a few key areas: increased payload (200 lbs greater than the 604), better weight distribution, and fuel economy (318 gallons/hour for the 605 versus 336 gallons/hour for the 604).