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| Bombardier Challenger 850 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bombardier Challenger 850 |
| Type | Business jet / regional airliner conversion |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Aerospace |
| Status | In service |
Bombardier Challenger 850 is a large business jet and regional airliner conversion produced by Bombardier Aerospace that derives from the Canadair Regional Jet family. The design merges features from the Bombardier CRJ200, Bombardier CRJ700, Canadair Regional Jet lineage and the Bombardier Challenger 600 family, resulting in a long-range, high-capacity executive transport that entered service in the early 2000s. It has been used by corporate operators, governments, and charter companies across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The Challenger 850 was developed by Bombardier Aerospace to fill a market niche between the Bombardier Challenger 600 series and regional airliners like the Embraer ERJ 145 and Sukhoi Superjet 100, leveraging commonality with the Canadair Regional Jet platform and production capabilities at the Bombardier Downsview and Bombardier Montreal facilities. Designers adapted the CRJ200 airframe, integrating a stretched fuselage, cabin pressurization systems shared with the Challenger 600 series, and a corporate interior developed with suppliers such as Honeywell Aerospace, Rockwell Collins, and CFM International subcontractors. Certification efforts involved coordination with aviation authorities including Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration, and systems testing used avionics suites comparable to installations found in Gulfstream Aerospace and Dassault Aviation products. Structural, aerodynamic, and propulsion work referenced precedents from the Canadair CL-600 development program and maintenance procedures influenced by Airbus and Boeing regional support practices.
Typical specifications for the Challenger 850 include dimensions, performance, and systems drawn from the CRJ platform with executive modifications: fuselage length comparable to stretched Bombardier CRJ900 variants, wings and empennage derived from the CRJ series with high-lift devices similar to those on the Bombardier CRJ700, and twin turbofan engines manufactured by companies like General Electric or International Aero Engines partners used across regional fleets. The aircraft's cabin layout supports single-club or conference arrangements akin to interiors found in Bombardier Challenger 605 and Bombardier Global Express models, with range and payload figures competitive with the Embraer Lineage 1000 and executive-configured Boeing Business Jet types. Avionics suites often feature systems from Honeywell and Thales Group, flight controls follow conventional designs used by Bombardier on contemporaneous programs, and performance envelopes align with airport operations at field elevations such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, London Heathrow Airport, and Dubai International Airport.
Operators and modifiers implemented multiple conversions and cabin options drawing on companies like Gulfstream Aerospace completion centers, Specialized Aircraft Services, and VIP completion specialists tied to Fokker Services and ST Aerospace. Configurations ranged from near-stock 50-seat executive layouts to ultra-luxury VIP versions rivaling bespoke interiors from Lufthansa Technik, Comlux Aviation, and Greenpoint Technologies. Some Challenger 850 airframes underwent avionics upgrades to standards similar to retrofit programs for Bombardier CRJ family aircraft, while others received structural modifications for extended-range operations influenced by modifications seen on Airbus A319CJ and Boeing 737-700BBJ conversions. Military and government adaptations paralleled work done on special mission platforms by contractors associated with Raytheon Technologies and Boeing Defense subcontractors.
The Challenger 850 entered service with corporate flight departments, charter operators, and state flight units in regions including Canada, the United States, several countries in Europe, and states in Africa. Its operational use mirrored that of executive transports such as the Gulfstream G550 and Dassault Falcon 7X, participating in VIP transport, corporate shuttle missions, and ad hoc charter operations for clients like multinational corporations and diplomatic missions. Maintenance and support leveraged Bombardier's global network and aftermarket providers with practices comparable to those serving the CRJ and Challenger fleets, operating from hubs including Toronto Pearson International Airport, London Luton Airport, and Frankfurt Airport.
Civil operators included charter companies and corporate flight departments based in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, and Kenya. Government and state operators employed the type for executive transport roles in countries with VIP fleets comparable to those of France, Italy, and Spain. Major corporate operators and fractional ownership programs maintained fleets with support from MRO providers such as Bombardier Services and independent completion centers linked to Jardine Aviation Services and ExecuJet.
Accidents and incidents involving the Challenger 850 have been relatively infrequent and typically tracked alongside event records for regional and business aviation types in databases maintained by Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the National Transportation Safety Board, and national civil aviation authorities like UK Civil Aviation Authority and EASA. Reported events ranged from ground damage and minor runway excursions to non-fatal in-flight technical issues, investigated under procedures similar to inquiries of Bombardier CRJ or Challenger series occurrences.
Several Challenger 850s achieved prominence as VIP transports for heads of state, corporate leaders, and celebrities, joining a roster alongside notable executive types such as the Boeing Business Jet series and Airbus Corporate Jet conversions. Individual airframes completed high-profile missions for delegations and special charters, operating from prominent airports like Los Angeles International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Sydney Airport, and were frequently showcased at airshows and business aviation events such as the Paris Air Show and NBAA-BACE.
Category:Bombardier aircraft