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on the Challenger 800 series
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The Challenger 870 was delivered between 18 January 2006 and 7 February, 2015; a corporate shuttle version of Bombardier’s CRJ700. The interior completion was outsourced to Flying Colours in 2013.
The original CRJ700 is a regional jet airliner developed from 1995. Four flying aircraft and two static airframes participated in the certification programme in Wichita over 1,600 flight hours, and there were more than 650 hours of wind tunnel testing in both Ottawa and California from early 1995 through to September 1996. With an order book already starting to fill up, the Bombardier board approved its launch on 21 January, 1997.
A new version of the C34 engine had its first ground run in February 1998 and flight tests followed on a Boeing 747 testbed in early 1999. Certification was received in November 1999.
The first flight was made on 27 May, 1999 and the aircraft was officially rolled out on 28 May, 1999. It made its public debut at Farnborough International Air Show on 23 July, 2000.
Transport Canada granted approval on 22 December, 2000 and the FAA on 16 February, 2001. The first delivery was made in February 2001.
A long range option was announced in March 2005, the 850ER.
The Challenger 890 is a corporate shuttle version of the CRJ900. The first aircraft was delivered in February 2008 and the second, to the same customer, in August that same year. Flying Colours outfitted the VIP configuration to the first corporate 890 customer; the green airframe arrived at the Ontario facility where supplementary fuel tanks were installed and certified.
Bombardier’s original CRJ900 was announced in October 1999, a stretched derivative of the CRJ700. It also has higher thrust engines, two GE CF34-8C5 turbofans rated 58.4 kN each, a strengthened main landing gear with upgraded wheels and brakes as well as a strengthened wing. It first flew in 2001.
Wind tunnel testing began in November 1999 and an interior mock up was completed in March 2000 ahead of its formal launch at the Farnborough Air Show on 24 July, 2000. February 2001 saw the first flight of a prototype, a CRJ700 modified with fuselage plugs. It made its public debut at the Paris Air Show on 14 June, 2001 and the first flight of a production aircraft took place on 20 October, 2001.
Transport Canada granted certification on 9 September, 2002 followed by the FAA on 25 October 2002 and the JAA on 23 December. The first delivery was made on 3 February, 2003 and entry into service followed in April 2003.
RJ and CRJ commercial aircraft converted to business jets as the Corporate Jetliner, renamed Challenger SE and Challenger 850. Includes Challenger 870 and 890
| World fleet | Charter fleet | Typical pax | Cabin volume | Cruise | Range | Years | |
| Challenger 800 | 9 | 2 | 15 | 2117 cu ft | 442 kts | 2,796 nm | 1995 - 2002 |
| Challenger 850 | 74 | 38 | 15 | 2117 cu ft | 442 kts | 2,456 nm | 1996 - 2017 |
| Bombardier CRJ700 | 3 | 0 | 70 | 2559 cu ft | 464 kts | 1,285 nm | 1999 - 2020 |
| Challenger 870 | 10 | 1 | 19 | 2650 cu ft | 447 kts | 2,243 nm | 2006 - 2014 |
| Challenger 890 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 2650 cu ft | 448 kts | 2,118 nm | 2008 - 2012 |
| September 5, 2020 | Flying Colours welcomes back VIP Challenger 850 |
| December 27, 2019 | VistaJet improves CL850 data flow with upgrade |
| December 9, 2019 | Nomad returns ADS-B Out CL850 on time |
| September 9, 2019 | Nomad paves the way for Cayman maintenance |
| June 18, 2019 | GE approves Tianjin service centre for Passport and CF34-3 |
| May 28, 2019 | Optimised maintenance saves time for VistaJet |
| May 23, 2019 | Powerplant agreement ties GE and MNG |
| February 15, 2019 | DC Aviation completes 96 month major check |
| October 23, 2018 | FAI receives CL850 and retires final Learjet |
| October 2, 2018 | Hong Kong maintenance company adds Aruba approval |
| September 27, 2018 | Avionco has its eye on Europe's skies |
| June 12, 2018 | Avionco prepares to add second aircraft to fledgling AOC |
| September 21, 2017 | Avionco set to receive European AOC and start with Skyline Challenger |
| February 4, 2016 | ExecuJet furthers expansion in Africa by adding CL850 and Supervan |
| August 10, 2014 | Me & my aircraft – Super midsize jets: Surprising resilience from super mids as manufacturers continue to innovate |
| November 13, 2012 | Me & my aircraft; Super midsize jets: Latest models bring advanced technology to super midsize arena |
| December 12, 2011 | Demand from developing markets swells VistaJet fleet |
| October 3, 2011 | Challenger 850s enter service in Middle East and Russia |
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