Aircraft Overview: Challenger 300/350

 

The Challenger 300 and Challenger 350 are a pair of super-midsize-category business jets that represent the two commercial designations of Bombardier’s BD-100-1A10 type. That type initially received Transport Canada certification on May 30, 2003, with an updated version of the type announced on May 20, 2013.

 

Both the Challenger 300 and 350 have a maximum passenger capacity of 16, with two pilots required to operate the airplane and the latter’s cabin having a height of 6 ft., width of 7 ft. 2 in. and length—measured between the “cockpit divider [and] the aft most cabin without [the] baggage compartment”—of 25 ft. 2 in. 

 
"On balance, the Challenger 350 is a considerably more capable aircraft than the Challenger 300. Competition in the super-midsize class is increasing steadily, so the new model is entering service at an opportune time as Bombardier attempts to protect its lead."

 

- BCA Senior Editor

Despite being certified to accommodate that many passengers, Bombardier markets the Challenger 350’s cabin as having “flexible seating arrangements for up to 10 passengers.” That version of the airframe has a 106-ft.3 baggage compartment, with the access to that compartment being “unrestricted and safe,” according to the airframe manufacturer.

 

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"Nothing can touch it for performance and value. It has great hot-and-high, plus short-field performance. It just doesn’t break. We haven’t lost a mission in three years. I can’t say that about any other aircraft.”"

 

- Richard Bilton, aviation department manager for Unicorp in Orlando, Florida

 

Mission and Performance

Regardless of the commercial designation, the operating limitations of the BD-100-1A10 type include a maximum operating limit speed (MMO) of 0.83 Mach above 29,475 ft., as well as a maximum operating altitudes of 45,000 ft. while en route and 10,000 ft. for takeoff and landing. In addition to those certified altitudes, the initial cruise altitude at the airframe’s maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is 43,000 ft. According to Bombardier, the Challenger 350 has a takeoff distance—based on the MTOW, sea-level altitude and standard conditions—of 4,835 ft. At a typical landing weight—as well as at sea-level altitude and in standard conditions—that version of the airframe has a landing distance of 2,364 ft.

On Air Charter Guide, April 2021, there are 128 BD-100-1A10 (Challenger 300) for charter including two 9-seaters from Solairus Aviation and one 8-seater from Clay Lacy Aviation.

 

See the up-to-date list of aircraft and base locations on Air Charter Guide.

Variants

Other specifications that differ between the commercial designations of the BD-100-1A10 type include the maximum weights and the amount of thrust produced by the Honeywell engines. The pair of HTF7000 engines (AS907-1-1A) that power the Challenger 300 can produce 6,826 lb. of thrust, while the Challenger 350’s HTF7350 turbofan engines (AS907-2-1A) increase that amount of thrust to 7,323 lb. Similarly, the MTOW of the former version of the BD-100-1A10 is either 38,500 or 38,850 lb., while the latter increases that limitation to 40,600 lb.

 

Challenger 350 operators are some of Bombardier’s best salespeople for the product. They have strong, positive comments about the aircraft. The cabin is nearly as wide as that of the Gulfstream G450. It has a flat floor. It has inflight access to aft baggage.

Take a look at the full AWIN Program Profile of the Bombardier Challenger 300/350.