Business & GA

Swiss Air-Rescue Rega’s Challenger 650 Mobile Ambulance Fleet Grows

Bombardier Challenger 650 with Rega livery. Photo courtesy of Bombardier

Bombardier has delivered a second specialized Challenger 650 to air ambulance service Swiss Air-Rescue Rega. Later this year, the Swiss nonprofit will complete the replacement of its older Challenger 604 with its third and final Challenger 650. The first was delivered in April.

The Bombardier Vision on the Challenger 650 comprises a Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion-based combination of enhanced vision and synthetic vision. Unlike the upcoming Global 5500 and 6500 business jets, the 650 does not feature a fully blended combined vision system (CVS), though Rockwell said that a CVS retrofitting option on the 650 would be available eventually.

The cockpit of Rega’s Challenger 650. Photo courtesy of Rega

The Challenger 650 also offers MultiScan weather radar, dual SBAS/WAAS GPS and a dual FMS that provides localizer performance with vertical guidance and required navigation performance approaches.

Outside of the cockpit, the jet has a range of 4,000 nm and a top speed of Mach 0.85 driven by GE CF34-3B MTO engines. Swiss Air-Rescue Rega prizes the business jets for their smooth ride, which is conducive to delivering in-flight medical care.

Rega was founded in 1952 and operates 17 helicopters outside of its fleet of Bombardier jets.

The mobile ICU inside Rega’s Challenger 650. Photo courtesy of Rega

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