MONTREAL — Bombardier announced Monday it has expanded its business-jet Challenger by adding the Challenger 350 aircraft.

The jet was launched with NetJets as a global partner during the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2014; financial terms were not disclosed.

Steve Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, said the Challenger 350 offers new levels of comfort and “the best operating costs of this category of aircraft.” He said customer feedback was considered when designing the new jets.

In 2012, NetJets announced its intention to buy up to 275 Challenger planes for $9.6 billion. Last year, NetJets ordered 50 Global jets for $2.8 billion.

The Challenger 350 will use Honeywell HTF7350 engines.

NetJets Europe plans to operate Embraer Phenom 300s by early 2014, the two companies announced here at EBACE yesterday. Holding a firm order for 50 of the specially outfitted “Signature Series” light jets, NetJets took its first delivery on May 1 for its U.S. operations and expects to accept roughly two airplanes a month. Also holding options on another 75 of the Brazilian jets, NetJets has committed as much as $1 billion to the purchase and, according to NetJets Europe president and COO Mark Wilson, the planned investment in the European fleet will ensure proper economies of scale “in short order.”

Speaking with AIN following the announcement, Wilson explained that although several European customers have already expressed interest in the product, yesterday’s formal launch means that NetJets begins the process of signing customers. He wouldn’t predict any customer signings here at EBACE, however. “I don’t know about that,” he said. “We’ll see. Sometimes these things happen very quickly and sometimes they don’t. Ultimately, our plan is to make sure we get a large number of these aircraft sold by the time it arrives early next year.”

Wilson noted that NetJets evaluated “dozens” of different aircraft types for the new operation, but that it settled on the Phenom 300 due to its position at what he described as “probably” the top end of the light jet market, its ability to fly “a little farther” that its competitors and its overall performance characteristics. “We’re really excited about the performance it’s got and the ability to operate in our primary operating area in Europe; it covers it completely. It’s not going to be used just for short hops.”

Now offering Hawker 400s and Citation Bravos in the light-jet category, NetJets Europe will likely replace many of those airplanes with the Phenoms, said Wilson, as well as use the little Embraer jets as a growth platform. “Over time we will replace [the Hawkers 400s and Citation Bravos], but it is over time,” he stressed. “We’re going to add capacity in the first instance and then we’ll see…”

Nice looking airplane!
Hope all works out smoothly for them. I am always leery about being the launch customer of a new bird. You get to be the guinea pig. AA will tell you that after being the launch customer for the DC-10.

The Challenger 350 is not a new airplane, its a Challenger 300 with a bit more thrust and an improved wing.

the range improved from 3000NM to 3200NM and 3750NM if you get the extra fuel-tank option. I believe NJA is getting the extra fuel-tank

"John Travolta was a test pilot" hum...

nice looking airplane

Photos: Bombardier BD-100-1A10 Challenger 300 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Instead of paying John Travolta to give a thumbs up in a picture they could of recalled a few pilots instead.

ha funny

What I'm wondering is if Travolta really is a test-pilot?? or is he just taking a few bucks from Bombardier and Netjets to give the "thumbs up"...

That's good then......my first thought were to what Embraer is doing with the Legacy 450 and 500. Same logic but new airframe and widgets.

That Bombardier’s new Challenger 350 has the seal of approval from its celebrity brand ambassador John Travolta is hardly surprising. What did grab people’s attention at EBACE today was that the movie star has been working as a flight test pilot supporting the airframer’s efforts to get the new super-midsized jet certified.

“I felt like an astronaut,” he told a packed Bombardier booth here in Geneva today. “We did full performance takeoffs and climbed straight to 41,000 feet. This aircraft is definitely going to break records. It’s like a homesick angel.” Watch Bombardier video of Travolta’s flight.

Stressing that he hadn’t joined the other Bombardier flight test crew as a PR stunt, Travolta was soon expounding effusively about the attributes of the latest Challenger. “I didn’t think the stall was ever going to happen and when it did happen we recovered so smoothly,” he enthused. “The flight displays are just so clear and pilots love that. The situational awareness is superior to anything I’ve ever seen. It’s a really pilot-friendly airplane, and I want one.”

Travolta later told AIN that he frequently is asked for advice on private aviation by friends in Hollywood. He got actor Chris Meloni (erstwhile detective Elliot Stabler on NBC’s TV drama Law & Order) hooked on flying and has also guided Tom Hanks into finding the best options for private flying.