Bombardier Challenger 850

To create the Challenger 850 in 2006, Bombardier essentially took their CRJ200 regional jet airliner and equipped it with an executive interior, containing just 15 seats instead of the CRJ's 50.

The resulting interior space is on a par with the company's flagship Global Express and Gulfstream's G550 but at a price some USD15m lower, thanks to the economies of scale resulting from using an existing airframe.

The Challenger 850 has fore and aft club seating, a three-seat sofa/single divan bed, a full galley, lavatory and wardrobe. Business facilities typically include high-speed data communications channels and a satellite telephone system with entertainment coming courtesy of 15in LCD monitors, Airshow maps and two DVD players.

The commuter jet roots do however mean that the 850 is not really a transatlantic proposition, having just under half the range of the more expensive alternatives. Instead it fulfills the niche rôle of offering the highest levels of comfort and in-flight conferencing abilities to European and Russian destinations, without the acquisition cost penalty of the purpose-designed ultra-log range aircraft.