Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh government's new Challenger 3500 jet, manufactured by Canadian aerospace company Bombardier, arrived in Bhopal on Tuesday evening.
The advanced aircraft, costing over Rs 235 crore, made a brief stopover in Bangkok for refuelling and completion of necessary documentation before reaching the state capital.
The jet arrived with a company pilot who will operate it for one year. During this period, two trained pilots of the state government will accompany him as co-pilots to gain practical experience in flying the aircraft.
After completing a year of training alongside the company pilot, the two state government pilots will fly the jet independently. Both had earlier undergone training abroad to operate the Challenger 3500.
Before the arrival of the modern jet in Bhopal, the aviation department obtained all necessary permissions from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), including permission to operate the aircraft.
New jet has a range of over 6,000 km
The Challenger 3500 jet can fly over 6,000 km nonstop, enabling it to reach nearby Asian countries in a single flight. According to aviation department sources, Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country to acquire such an advanced jet.
Until now, the state government had been relying on hired aircraft for VVIP travel after its lone aircraft, the Beech 209 GT Super King Air, crashed at Gwalior airport during the COVID period. Following the crash, the government decided to purchase a new aircraft.
