N242CK

This article covers the specific airframe bearing tail number N242CK, a 1995-built Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 601-3R with serial number 5181. The aircraft was manufactured by Bombardier Inc. and is registered in the US; it is owned by Kalitta Air LLC, a corporate owner based in Ypsilanti, MI, US. The airframe carries a typical operator configuration that reduces passenger seating from its certified capacity to an executive layout; registry records indicate continued corporate operation from the owner’s Michigan base. No separate public record of other ownership transfers or notable registry actions is provided for this airframe.

N242CK is fitted in an executive cabin layout featuring a forward galley, club seating and an aft lavatory while operator-configured seating typically ranges from eight to twelve executive seats despite the aircraft’s higher certified capacity. Avionics are consistent with common 601-3R retrofit packages and are listed as Honeywell SPZ-8000 / Honeywell integrated avionics, providing updated flightdeck capability relative to original deliveries. With a listed range of 3,430 nm and a cruise speed near 425 kts, the aircraft is suited to transcontinental executive missions and corporate shuttle roles operated from its owner’s Ypsilanti base. Maintenance considerations for this airframe reflect its vintage (built 1995) and the installed General Electric CF34-3A1 powerplants, which define overhaul and life‑cycle support planning for the platform.

The airframe is an example of the Bombardier CL-600-2B16 Challenger 601-3R family produced by Bombardier Inc., representing a large-cabin, long-range business jet niche within the fixed-wing multi-engine category. The 601-3R configuration balances transcontinental performance—ceiling 41,000 ft, cruise 425 kts, range 3,430 nm—with operator-preferred executive interiors that commonly reduce certified seating to an 8–12 seat executive fit. Market and resale considerations for this specific airframe are influenced by its 1995 build year, corporate ownership, CF34 engine type and common retrofit avionics fit such as the Honeywell SPZ-8000 / Honeywell integrated avionics package.