Aircraft Description
The cabin of the Challenger 300 fits eight or nine passengers in a double-club configuration (three seats can be swapped out for a 3-person divan, if desired). All of the passenger seats are fully adjustable and have fold-out tables and individual AC power plugs. Two-zone air conditioning keeps both the pilots and the passengers comfortable, and low-heat LED overhead lights (with a 10,000 hour life) give the cabin an open feel. The cabin itself stretches to a length (not including the cockpit) of 16.5 feet, a height of 6.1 feet, and a width of 7.2 feet. The 106 cubic feet of baggage (750 pounds) stored in an exterior compartment is accessible in-flight through the fully enclosed lavatory. A forward luggage closet can be added as well.
The real draw of the Challenger 300 is its range/payload capabilities. It can fly eight passengers 3,560 miles (3,100 nautical miles) at .80 Mach – quite a feat for a jet of its class. This private jet can take off in 4,810 feet and climb to a cruise altitude of 37,000 feet in fourteen minutes. It can comfortably cruise at a level above most bad weather and air traffic with a flight ceiling of 45,000 feet.
The Challenger 300’s top cruise speed is .82 Mach (470 ktas), but it usually flies at about .80 Mach (459 knots) and burns 1,577 pounds of fuel per hour. It uses two Honeywell HTF 7000 turbofan engines, flat rated to 6,826 pounds of thrust each. It also has a fairly high maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 38,850 pounds.
The aerodynamic structure of the Challenger 300 was fine-tuned with the help of a supercomputer program that created 3-D models of the transonic airflow around the wing and fuselage. Most of the jet is made of aluminum. It uses high-intensity-discharge xenon landing lights (the only super-midsize jet to do so) that have a life of more than 10,000 hours. A new troubleshooting software system is included with the jet, which offers mechanics step-by-step instructions on finding and fixing problems, cutting down on maintenance time and labor costs.
The Challenger 300 uses the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics system, with four 12×10 inch LCD screens. The EICAS (Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System) comes standard, which gives engine performance information such as fuel flow, oil and turbine temperatures, torque, and visual deicing and environmental control information. Other systems include the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) and the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II). Important functions such as engine startup are almost completely automated.
The Challenger 300 is a solid private jet that will consistently deliver high performance and economy of operation. It was designed to be easy to operate and easy to maintain, so it will not encounter difficulties in regularly completing cross-country flights.
Background/History
The Challenger 300 (nee Continental) was announced at the 1998 NBAA convention as a completely new aircraft, filling the gap in Bombardier’s line between the Lear 60 and Challenger 604. Designed as a Maintenance Steering Group 3 (MSG-3) aircraft, the 300 has been designed from the ground up with ease of maintenance in mind. MSG-3’s goal is to eliminate calendar based inspections resulting in task based “On-condition” inspections of maintenance activities and components. Bombardier projects maintnence costs to be in the neighborhood of a Hawker 800XP, albeit with super-midsize jet amenities. The Challenger 300 features a large “heavy-iron” cabin cross-section that can fly eight passengers 3,100 NM at .80 mach with NBAA IFR reserves. Bombardier stated in late 2003 they had 125 orders for the 300 of which 80% had come from traditional business aircraft operators. Bombardier believes many of the operators are stepping up to the 300 from aircraft such as the Lear 60 and Hawker 800. as of 2007, there have been 142 Challenger 300’s produced.
Power
The Challenger 300 is powered by two Honeywell HTF 7000 turbofans flat rated at 6,826 lbs. of thrust each at ISA +15 C. Inspection interval on the engines is “on condition.” The HTF 7000 has been designed for “on-wing” maintenance. A major periodic inspection is conducted every 7,000 hours on-wing and a core zone is completed by borescope on-wing every 8,000 hours.
Avionics
The Challenger 300 features Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite. The 300’s instrument panel is dominated by four 12-by-10-inch LCDs, the largest Pro Line 21 display screens yet installed in any business aircraft. The standard avionics package includes dual digital Pro Line 21 VHF com and nav radios, dual transponders, dual AHRS and RVSM-compliant digital air data computers, plus single FMS-5000, solid state weather radar, GPS receiver, DME transceiver, ADF radio and radio altimeter. Also included is a Honeywell Mk 8 EGPWS, Collins TCAS II and cockpit voice recorder. Options include Aero-I satcom, single or dual HF radios, turbulance detection weather radar, lightning sensor, second ADF, DME, GPS, FMS-5000 boxes, and FMS airport and cruise performance computations.
Design Features
The Challenger 300 is a twin-turbofan, super-midsize business jet configured as a cantilever low swept-wing monoplane with a swept T-tail. The landing gear is retractable tricycle, with dual wheels on each unit and trailing link main gear legs. A large airstair door is located on the port side, forward of the wing. The 300 has a standard fuel capacity of 14,100 pounds, allowing 3,100 nm range with 8 passengers.
Accomodations
The Challenger 300 is typically configured with fore and aft, four seat club sections. Three of the four pairs of facing chairs are fully berthable. The aft right seat has limited motion to provide for unrestricted access to the over-wing emergency exit door. A three-place divan is offered in place of any of the three fully berthable chair pairs. Cabin overhead panels feature 10,000 hour design life LED lights. Each pair of chairs has a folding worktable with AC outlet, overhead passenger service units with reading lights, air outlets, and emergency oxygen masks. The aft cabin has a fully enclosed lavatory with extra storage for carryon baggage. A 106 cu.ft. external access baggage compartment is fully accessable in flight through an aft door in the lav.