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The Bombardier CL.601-3R Challenger is a twin-engine executive jet aircraft for
2 crewmembers and up to 19 passengers. Bill Lear designed the Learstar 600,
a 12-place business jet. Canadair bought the manufacturing rights and renamed it
the Canadair CL-600 Challenger. The first prototype of the airplane flew on 8 November 1978.
The second and third prototypes flew in March and July 1979. On 3 April 1980, a test flight with
the first prototype above the Mojave Desert ended in a disaster, with the airplane crashing due
to a deep stall. In August 1980, certification was granted with temporary restrictions. Deliveries of
the CL-600, powered by two Lycoming ALF-502L turbofans started in 1981. The design
was developed further and on 10 April 1982 the Challenger 601, a refined version with the
more powerful General Electric CF-34 engines and winglets, made its maiden flight.
In 1983, the CL-601 replaced the CL-600 in production. In 1986, Bombardier Aerospace bought Canadair.
The Bombardier Challenger became a family of business jets. A number of models entered
production including in 1989 the CL-601-3R, an extended range version with an extra fuel
tank added to the aircraft's tail. |
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