Learjet

Aircraft Manufacturer

At a glance

Models: 11
Cruise: 418–465 kt
Power: Turbofan • Jet • Turbojet

Overview

Learjet pioneered the modern business jet. Founded by Bill Lear and first flying the Learjet 23 in 1963, the Wichita, Kansas marque made “Learjet” a byword for private aviation for half a century. Bombardier, which had owned the brand since 1990, ended Learjet production in 2021 and delivered the final aircraft in 2022; it continues to support the in-service fleet, but every Learjet is now out of production.

Heritage

Bill Lear drew the Model 23 around the wing of a Swiss ground-attack fighter and brought fighter-class speed and altitude to the civil market. Lear Jet Corporation gave way to Gates Learjet in 1967, then to Learjet Corporation, and finally to Bombardier in 1990. The line ran across four engine generations: the original General Electric CJ610 turbojets (23, 24, 25); the Honeywell TFE731 turbofans that brought range and Stage 3 compliance (35/36, the stand-up “Longhorn” 55, and the short-field 31); the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A mid-size 60; and the clean-sheet 45 and the super-light family it anchored (40, 70, and the Garmin-equipped 75).

Design Signature

A Learjet was built to climb fast, fly high, and look the part. The hallmarks recur across sixty years: a thin, low-drag wing, a tall certified ceiling that reached 51,000 feet on the later types, and a slender fuselage that traded cabin volume for speed. Early models carried fuel in wingtip tanks; the 55 adopted the supercritical “Longhorn” wing, and the 45 finally replaced the dropped-aisle “trench” with a flat-floor cabin. Every Learjet is a two-pilot twinjet, and the brand’s “hot rod” reputation for spirited handling and rapid time-to-climb followed it from the first jet to the last.

For Owners

Learjet ownership today is legacy-fleet ownership. Production has ended and Bombardier supports the aircraft through its service-center and parts network, so factory backing is real but the type list is closed. Support and economics split by generation: the vintage CJ610 jets (23, 24, 25) face Stage 2 noise limits and out-of-pocket overhauls with no engine program, while the turbofan Learjets reward Honeywell MSP or Pratt & Whitney ESP enrollment, where engine and inspection status dominate pre-buy valuation. A Learjet remains one of the most recognizable names on the ramp, bought for speed, altitude, and pedigree rather than cabin volume or operating economy.

Related Manufacturers

Bombardier Inc.

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