Learjet 60
Encyclopedia
The Learjet 60 is a mid-size cabin, medium range business jet
aircraft manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace
in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The Learjet 60 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada
model 305A turbo fan engines producing 4,600 total pounds of thrust. The manufacturer notes the range of the aircraft at 2405 nautical miles (4,454.1 km) with NBAA
100 nmi (185.2 km) reserves, ISA, with 4 passengers and 2 crew. The Learjet 60 does not have the range for direct transoceanic flights from the United States
, although it can cross the Atlantic from Newfoundland to the British Isles
. The current production Learjet 60XR costs approximately $13.3 million.
, with a longer fuselage
and more powerful engines
. It first flew in June 1991 and received FAA
certification
in January 1993.
The modifications that converted the Learjet Model 55 into a Model 60 resulted from an aerodynamics improvement program and a need to increase the capacity of the Learjet product line. Several of these modifications were a first for Learjet, including an all new inboard wing cuff added to the inboard sections of the “Longhorn” wing and an all new wing-to-body fairing. By increasing the wing chord and the leading edge droop, the wing cuff improved handling during approach and landing while the wing-to-body fairing reduced the interference drag between the wing and the fuselage
. Since the engines were new for this aircraft, a new engine pylon had to be designed.
The lines of the cockpit have not changed but the fuselage was lengthened. In addition, the blend between the fuselage and the empennage
was all new. While it appears as if area ruling was the intention of the blending, the blend design was really driven by attaching the original Learjet Model 35 empennage
onto the larger Learjet Model 60 fuselage.
The final aerodynamic improvements to the Model 60 included the creation of the distinctive "Ogive
" winglet trailing edge. This lengthening of the chord near the interface of the winglet and the wing improved the interaction of the wing’s pressure spike with the winglet’s pressure spike. The result was a significant lowering of the drag in this area and a significant improvement of the wing's efficiency. On the prior “Longhorn” wing the interference between the winglet and the wing nearly canceled the effects of the winglet. The single ventral fin
was also replaced with two ventral fins that Learjet called "Delta Fins" to improve stall characteristics and promote aerodynamic stability.
The Learjet 60 is notable for its time-to-climb performance climbing to 41,000 feet (12,497 m) in 18.5 minutes at maximum weight. It also distinguished as the last legacy Learjet, using the wing that designer Bill Lear
adapted from the Swiss military aircraft, the FFA P-16
. The next generation Learjet is the Learjet 85
and is an all new design by Bombardier Aerospace
slated for delivery in 2013.
Production of the Learjet 60 ended in 2007 after 314 aircraft had been built. The Learjet 60XR is the current model in production from Bombardier Aerospace
.
Pro Line 21 advanced avionics suite and three disc steel wheel brakes.
Raisbeck Engineering is currently in the final stages of developing an aft fuselage locker for the Learjet 60 and 60XR. Slated for first quarter 2011 delivery, this modification under a supplemental type certificate
increases luggage capacity 300 pounds and includes two separate compartments. The forward compartment is nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) long and the aft compartment 4 feet (1.2 m) long. This modification is performed without any loss of performance according to Raisbeck Engineering.
Delta Private Jets
ExecuJet Aviation Group
FlexJet
VistaJet
Image Air Charter
Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter
Elite Air
Mexico
United States of America
Argentina
Business jet
Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
aircraft manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The Learjet 60 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada is a Canadian aircraft engine manufacturer. PWC's headquarters are in Longueuil, Quebec, just outside Montreal. It is a division of the larger US-based Pratt & Whitney , itself a business unit of United Technologies...
model 305A turbo fan engines producing 4,600 total pounds of thrust. The manufacturer notes the range of the aircraft at 2405 nautical miles (4,454.1 km) with NBAA
National Business Aviation Association
National Business Aviation Association or NBAA, is a non-profit and nonpartisan 5016 corporation based in Washington, DC, United States. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies....
100 nmi (185.2 km) reserves, ISA, with 4 passengers and 2 crew. The Learjet 60 does not have the range for direct transoceanic flights from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, although it can cross the Atlantic from Newfoundland to the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. The current production Learjet 60XR costs approximately $13.3 million.
Development
The Learjet 60 is an improved version of the Learjet 55Learjet 55
-Development and design:The Learjet 50 series was first announced at the 1977 Paris air show with larger cabins than the current Learjets. The series was to have three variants, the Learjet 54, 55 and 56 but only the Learjet 55 was built. The Learjet 55 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with NASA...
, with a longer fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
and more powerful engines
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
. It first flew in June 1991 and received FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
certification
Type certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
in January 1993.
The modifications that converted the Learjet Model 55 into a Model 60 resulted from an aerodynamics improvement program and a need to increase the capacity of the Learjet product line. Several of these modifications were a first for Learjet, including an all new inboard wing cuff added to the inboard sections of the “Longhorn” wing and an all new wing-to-body fairing. By increasing the wing chord and the leading edge droop, the wing cuff improved handling during approach and landing while the wing-to-body fairing reduced the interference drag between the wing and the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
. Since the engines were new for this aircraft, a new engine pylon had to be designed.
The lines of the cockpit have not changed but the fuselage was lengthened. In addition, the blend between the fuselage and the empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
was all new. While it appears as if area ruling was the intention of the blending, the blend design was really driven by attaching the original Learjet Model 35 empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
onto the larger Learjet Model 60 fuselage.
The final aerodynamic improvements to the Model 60 included the creation of the distinctive "Ogive
Ogive
An ogive is the roundly tapered end of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional object.-Applied physical science and engineering:In ballistics or aerodynamics, an ogive is a pointed, curved surface mainly used to form the approximately streamlined nose of a bullet or other projectile.The traditional...
" winglet trailing edge. This lengthening of the chord near the interface of the winglet and the wing improved the interaction of the wing’s pressure spike with the winglet’s pressure spike. The result was a significant lowering of the drag in this area and a significant improvement of the wing's efficiency. On the prior “Longhorn” wing the interference between the winglet and the wing nearly canceled the effects of the winglet. The single ventral fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
was also replaced with two ventral fins that Learjet called "Delta Fins" to improve stall characteristics and promote aerodynamic stability.
The Learjet 60 is notable for its time-to-climb performance climbing to 41,000 feet (12,497 m) in 18.5 minutes at maximum weight. It also distinguished as the last legacy Learjet, using the wing that designer Bill Lear
Bill Lear
William Powell Lear was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for founding the Lear Jet Corporation, a manufacturer of business jets...
adapted from the Swiss military aircraft, the FFA P-16
FFA P-16
|-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William and Gerald Pollinger.Die Flugzeuge der Welt . Zürich, Switzerland: Werner Classen Verlag, 1960....
. The next generation Learjet is the Learjet 85
Learjet 85
-External links:* * * *...
and is an all new design by Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
slated for delivery in 2013.
Production of the Learjet 60 ended in 2007 after 314 aircraft had been built. The Learjet 60XR is the current model in production from Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace
Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
.
Learjet 60XR
Bombardier launched a new variant in 2005 designated the Learjet 60XR and following certification deliveries started in 2007. The Learjet 60XR has an upgraded cabin, Rockwell CollinsRockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
Pro Line 21 advanced avionics suite and three disc steel wheel brakes.
Raisbeck Engineering is currently in the final stages of developing an aft fuselage locker for the Learjet 60 and 60XR. Slated for first quarter 2011 delivery, this modification under a supplemental type certificate
Supplemental Type Certificate
A Supplemental Type Certificate is an FAA approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed 'supplemental'.-Purpose:...
increases luggage capacity 300 pounds and includes two separate compartments. The forward compartment is nearly 8 feet (2.4 m) long and the aft compartment 4 feet (1.2 m) long. This modification is performed without any loss of performance according to Raisbeck Engineering.
Civilian
- Charter business jet company wholly owned by Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
operating Learjet 60 aircraft.
ExecuJet Aviation Group
- Worldwide business jet management and charter company operating Learjet 60 and 60XR aircraft.
FlexJet
Flexjet
Flexjet is a business division of Montreal-based Bombardier and offers access to fractional jet ownership, whole aircraft ownership/management, charter brokerage services and jet card products.-Overview:...
- Fractional business jet company wholly owned by Bombardier AerospaceBombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
operating fifteen Learjet 60 and 60XR aircraft.
VistaJet
- Worldwide business jet charter company operating Learjet 60XR aircraft.
Image Air Charter
- Canadian business class aircraft management and charter company, operating the Lear 60, Citation III and VII, Challenger 601 and 605, Hawker 800 and 850 aircraft and many more types.
Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter
- Private business jet charter company operating Learjet 60 (4), Learjet 55 (2), Learjet 35 (2), Learjet 45 (2) and Challenger 604 (3) aircraft.
Elite Air
- Private aircraft charter corporation operating not only the Learjet 60XR, but also the Global 5000, Challenger 604, Challenger 300, Learjet 40XR, Learjet 31A, Embraer Legacy 600, Beechjet 400 and the Premier IA.
Government
MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
- One Learjet 60 delivered in April 2005 to replace the lost King Air 200Beechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
. Used by the Government for VIP transport.
Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- One Learjet 60 delivered for the Mexican NavyMexican NavyThe Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...
.
United States of America
- Operates six Learjet 60 aircraft under the Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
performing airborne accuracy checks of navigational facilities.
Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
- One Learjet 60XR (LV-CKA) used by TucumánTucumánSan Miguel de Tucumán is the capital of the Tucumán Province, located in northern Argentina at from Buenos Aires. It is the fifth biggest city of Argentina after Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Rosario and Mendoza, and it is also the most important city of Northern Argentina...
Government.
Incidents and accidents
- On September 19, 2008, a Learjet 60 crashed2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crashThe 2008 South Carolina Learjet 60 crash occurred just before midnight on September 19, 2008, when a Learjet 60 crashed while taking off from Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. Weather at the time was cool, dry, and clear...
while taking off from Columbia Metropolitan AirportColumbia Metropolitan AirportColumbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia, South Carolina. The airport lies five miles southwest of Columbia's central business district, in Lexington County.-Airlines and destinations:...
in Columbia, South CarolinaColumbia, South CarolinaColumbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. Performers Travis BarkerTravis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
and DJ AM were injured, while four others were killed in the crash. According to the Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
, as the plane was departing the airport, air traffic controllers saw sparks emanating from the plane, which went off the runway, smashed through a fence, crossed a nearby road, slammed into an embankment and caught fire.
- After the post accident investigation the Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation AdministrationThe Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
issued new directives for operators of the Learjet 60 and 60XR aircraft to check tire pressures every four days. This is due to the Learjet 60 models having experienced "more than twice the number of tire failure events" than the Learjet model 30 series, and generally have greater "vulnerability to damage due to a burst tire" than other types of business jets.
Specifications
See also
Further reading
- Taylor, Michael J.H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London:Brassey's, 1999. ISBN 1 85753 245 7.