Canadair Challenger 600
Canadair / Bombardier · Canada · first flew 1978 · airliner
The Canadair Challenger 600 is a large-cabin business jet that introduced a wide-body fuselage cross-section to the corporate aviation market. Its Bill Lear-influenced design became the basis for a highly successful family of regional and business aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, tail-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 20.85 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Wide-cabin corporate jet with aft-mounted turbofans
- T-tail with prominent horizontal stabiliser high on fin
- Supercritical swept wing with distinctive blended winglets on later models
Distinguished by its wide oval fuselage (noticeably wider than most business jets of its era), aft-mounted engines, and high T-tail; later models have distinctive winglets and a more refined engine nacelle profile.
Specifications
- The Canadair Challenger 600 has a length of 20.85 m (68 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.61 m (64 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 882 km/h (548 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Conceived by Bill Lear as the LearStar 600, the design was acquired by Canadair, which developed it into the Challenger 600 that first flew in November 1978. Bombardier later acquired Canadair and evolved the platform into the CRJ regional jet family, one of the most commercially successful regional aircraft families ever.
Variants
The Challenger 600 was followed by the improved Challenger 601 with winglets and upgraded engines, then the Challenger 604, 605, and eventually the Challenger 650; the stretched fuselage spawned the entire CRJ series.
Where you'll see it
Widely used by corporate flight departments, charter operators, and government VIP transport worldwide; the Challenger family remains in active production and service globally.
Related aircraft
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