Nextant Aerospace has made its first foray into the large-cabin market with the launch at EBACE of an upgraded Bombardier Challenger 604.
The aircraft, called the 604XT, is the third aircraft in Nextant’s line-up, which also features the 400XTi – a remanufactured Hawker 400A/XP light business jet – and the G90XT. The twin-engined turboprop, an upgrade of the Beechcraft King Air C90, is making its EBACE debut.
The 604XT features a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion integrated flightdeck – replacing the legacy model’s Pro Line 4 system – and a number of cabin enhancements. The upgrade is scheduled for certification in June 2018.
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“We have been evaluating opportunities in the large-cabin market for the past three years,” said Nextant executive vice-president Jay Heublein at the show. “The Challenger 604 is a proven operating platform with an exceptional cabin that meets all our selection criteria for a remanufacturing programme.”
He describes the timing of the launch as “perfect”, with new airspace regulations coming into force in 2020, such as ADS-B and FANS 1/A+.
Craig Olson, Rockwell Collins vice-president and general manager, business and regional systems, says the Challenger 604 is a “a highly valued, long-haul aircraft that owners want to continue flying well into the future,”
The new avionics upgrade will feature a host of advantages over the original cockpit, including three large-format displays, touch-interactive maps with eyes-forward flight planning, synthetic vision, high-resolution topography, real-time onboard weather radar overlays, and special-use airspace and search patterns for expanded situational awareness and reduced workload.
The upgrade is being promoted at EBACE for an introductory price of $600,000 for the standard system.
Source: Flight International
