Wind Aviation received its first aircraft, a Challenger 3500, and obtained an air operator’s certificate (AOC) #TR-AT-104 from the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (Sivil Havacılık Genel Müdürlüğü—SHGM) on July 7.
Wind Aviation regarding the receival
Onur Yılmaz, general manager of Wind Aviation, said:
“We are happy to receive our operating licence and to begin operations with the aircraft we have brought into our fleet after completing the delivery process.”
The recently added Bombardier Business Aircraft is TC-CBA (msn 21064), a 2025-built Challenger 3500 that was transported from Montréal Trudeau via Shannon between June 5 and 6 to Istanbul Atatürk, where it is based. After being dormant till July 9, it has resumed operations in Turkey.
After Arkasair (Izmir Adnan Menderes) added a 3500 in late 2023, Wind Aviation is currently the second Turkish operator of the aircraft. With two Challenger 300s and a Challenger 350, Genel Havacilik (Istanbul Atatürk) is still the only Turkish operator of the earlier models in the series.
About Challenger 3500
The Bombardier Challenger 3500 is a cutting-edge super-midsize business jet designed and produced by Bombardier. It is capable of flying across the continental United States in a single trip.
The Challenger 3500, the successor to the Challenger 350, is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2022. It has an enhanced wing design, optimised aerodynamics, and a pilot-centric avionics package, ensuring an extraordinarily smooth ride from takeoff to landing. The cost of purchasing the Bombardier Challenger 3500 as a green aircraft is $25,000,000.
Powered by two Honeywell HTF7350 engines, the aircraft can reach 43,000 feet and has a nonstop range of 3,400 nautical miles. It has better field performance, including steep-approach capabilities, which allow it to fly in and out of some of the world’s most difficult airports, including Aspen, London City, and Lugano. The aircraft can perform nonstop flights from Los Angeles to Honolulu and from London to Dubai. With a dispatch dependability of 99.8% and the lowest direct operating expenses in its class, it provides excellent value for money.
