The Nextant Aerospace Challenger 604XT is a re-manufactured Bombardier Challenger 604. Photo courtesy of Bombardier
The launch customer for Nextant Aerospace’s Challenger 604XT is Toby Neugebauer from Houston, Texas, the company said. News reports depict the son of U.S. Rep. Randy Neugebauer as a billionaire in his 40s and a big political donor.
Nextant Aerospace said Neugebauer selected the standard configuration. It addresses ADS-B Out requirements and has optional upgrades, including traffic collision avoidance system 7.1 and MulitSCan Threat Track Weather Radar.
“The Challenger 604 is the perfect aircraft for my mission requirements. The plane offers an exceptional combination of cabin comfort, performance, and operating economics,” Neugebauer said. “Now, with the introduction of the 604XT upgrade, Nextant has solved the pending regulatory and obsolescence issues that were facing much of the original cockpit technology. This solution is perfect for my needs. By allowing me to access the latest in forward fit avionics technology, they have created a solution that offers an overwhelming value proposition, which in my mind is a no brainer.”
A re-manufactured Bombardier Challenger 604, the 604XT features a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion cockpit. The company said it expects market penetration rates of more than 75% relative to the total in-service fleet. The certification program is ahead of schedule, Nextant Aerospace continued, with first flight scheduled for this month. Final certification, from both the FAA and EASA, is on track for June 2018.