Nearly 60 years after first entering service, the ultimate flying symbol of luxury has finally received the chop
Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has announced that production of its Learjet will end this year.
Construction of the popular private jet – which first entered service in 1963 – will stop during the fourth quarter, allowing the company to focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global aircraft families.
Éric Martel, president and chief executive officer of Bombardier, commented: “With more than 3,000 examples delivered since its entry-into-service in 1963, the iconic Learjet aircraft has had a remarkable and lasting impact on business aviation.
“Passengers all over the world love to fly this exceptional aircraft and count on its unmatched performance and reliability. However, given the increasingly challenging market dynamics, we have made this difficult decision to end Learjet production.”
The firm says it will continue to fully support the fleet “well into the future” and launched a remanufacturing upgrade programme for the Learjet 40 and 45. Dubbed RACER, the scheme provides a bundled set of enhancements including interior and exterior components, new avionics, high-speed connectivity, engine enhancements, and improved aircraft maintenance costs.
The news of the end to production was disclosed in the firm’s full-year financial results for 2020. The Canadian company acquired the Learjet Corporation in 1990 and expanded its product line to include larger and more efficient examples.
Last September, Key.Aero spoke to Greg Madonna, a former Learjet pilot about his career flying the speedy flying machine. Watch the interview here: https://www.key.aero/article/how-earth-did-pilot-survive
