Flight From Napa Valley To The Cayman Islands Was Completed In Five Hours And Five Minutes

A Bombardier Challenger 350 aircraft owned by VistaJet has set a world speed record in its class, flying from Napa Valley to the Cayman Islands - a distance of 2,774 miles in five hours and five minutes.

The US-registered Challenger 350 aircraft, managed and operated by Priester Aviation, departed Napa County Airport in California at 8:22 a.m. PDT on October 28, 2015 with three crew and two passengers on board. The maximum cruising speed was M 0.83 at a cruise level of 41,000 feet. The pilots touched down at Owen Robert International Airport in Grand Cayman at 1:27 p.m. PDT with more than sufficient fuel reserves.

"The Challenger 350 aircraft handled beautifully throughout the flight," said Priester Aviation's Captain Andy Wegman. "Thanks to its unmatched climb characteristics, we took it straight to 41,000 feet in under 20 minutes, where we cruised comfortably at ground speeds up to 545 kts to set the record."

"This achievement is another example of the impressive speed, climb and range capabilities of the super midsize Challenger 350 aircraft," said David Coleal, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. "We are pleased to share this honour with our valued customer VistaJet and congratulate the entire VistaJet and Priester Aviation team on achieving this new world record."

"We've taken delivery of 13 Challenger 350 jets over the past year, and to date, our experience with this aircraft has been very positive," said Nick Van Der Meer, Chief Operating Officer, VistaJet International. "We provide our customers with the best aircraft options for their intercontinental and transcontinental travel needs, and the capability showcased by the Challenger 350 jet on this new world speed record serves to reinforce this commitment."

(Image provided with Bombardier news release)

FMI: www.bombardier.com