Autothrottles, comfy seats standard on Bombardier Challenger 3500

Passengers and crew will enter through a spacious galley with available transparent crystal storage and a wine chiller, a wardrobe to keep garments wrinkle-free, and connections for the coffee or espresso machine of the customer’s choice. Passengers then proceed to a sound-insulated cabin with voice-controlled lighting and entertainment, and eight (in standard configuration) Bombardier-patented Nuage seats that recline, tilt, and swivel on a floating base. 

On the flight deck, pilots will find the first autothrottles in the Challenger line, and cabin altitude controls that can maintain 4,850 feet at Flight Level 410, a significant improvement on the Challenger 350’s performance.

Bombardier did not announce pricing, but it did indicate in the September 14 news release that the Challenger 3500 is expected to enter service in 2022.

“We are thrilled to launch a business jet that features all the best-selling elements of the Challenger platform—impressive performance, consistent reliability, exceptional smooth ride—while elevating the cabin experience for our customers,” said Bombardier CEO Éric Martel, in that news release. “Building on the success of the unrivalled Global 7500 business jet cabin, the Challenger 3500 aircraft prioritizes what our customers value most: a truly exceptional cabin experience.”

Photos and detailed descriptions of the “ultimate cabin experience” are meanwhile available online, along with details of the upgrades to the Challenger 350 that Bombardier expects will build on that model's 99.8-percent dispatch reliability and lowest-in-class operating cost (according to Bombardier, based on Challenger 350 operations data). Sustainable fuel is powering the flight test program, part of a broader approach to reducing the jet’s environmental impact that also includes the “first eco app solution in business aviation,” referring to an app developed by SITA incorporating features and functions of the eWAS Pilot app with OptiFlight. The software allows optimization of flight routes to reduce fuel burn. Use of sustainable materials of the customer’s choice to build the interior can further trim the aircraft’s total environmental impact.