Kid Rock's travel choice: flying high with Bombardier Challenger

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Kid Rock's travel choice: flying high with Bombardier Challenger

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By Sky Industry News

Jan 13, 2025

Kid Rock, an acclaimed American musician, known for his work as a singer, rapper, and songwriter, has made significant strides in the music industry since the late 1980s. Born Robert James Ritchie on January 17, 1971, Kid Rock developed an early interest in hip-hop and eventually ventured into rock and country music genres. His career achievements include several best-selling songs like "Picture" and "All Summer Long," leading to two Grammy Award nominations.

With a net worth exceeding $150 million due to his successful career, Kid Rock has chosen to own a Bombardier Challenger 600 business jet for his frequent travels. This private jet offers him the flexibility of choosing departure times and landing at smaller airports closer to destinations—a convenience necessary for his busy schedule of performances across various cities.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 is currently registered under N71KR with Lost Highway Touring Inc., where Kid Rock serves as President. According to Celebrity Private Jet Tracker, this aircraft conducted approximately 170 flights in 2024 alone.

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The history of the Bombardier Challenger 600 dates back to its conceptualization by Bill Lear in the early 1970s. Initially called the LearStar 600, it was developed by Canadair after acquiring the design from Lear. The first prototype flew in November 1978, receiving certification from Transport Canada in August 1980 and from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later that year.

Bombardier acquired Canadair in 1986 and continued producing upgraded variants such as Challenger 601 through Challenger 650. Today, more than a thousand units have been produced with operators including NetJets—the largest operator globally—and several government entities like the US Army and Swiss Air Force.

The Challenger 600 features retractable landing gear, rear-mounted turbofan engines, a T-tail design with supercritical wings allowing it to carry up to nine passengers typically. Its specifications include a maximum speed of 458 knots (527 mph) and range capabilities reaching up to four thousand nautical miles.