The history of Learjet and Bombardier is an interesting and important story. The Learjet company was one the pioneers of the luxury private aircraft, bringing to market one of the first private jets. It was based upon the experimental American military aircraft known as the Marvel. Curiously enough, that design ended up being scrapped. However, a spark had been initiated that would instigate a fire that still burns in the 21st century. In 1990, Learjet was acquired by Bombardier, and this became the modern face that we still see today. A dominating presence in the medium aircraft market, the Bombardier Learjet 60 enjoyed a reign in the market that was unusually long. Production started in 1990 and ceased in 2012, bringing to fruition a 22-year period where the Learjet 60 consistently posted high sales numbers.
Succeeding a legend
In 2005, the successor, the Learjet 60 XR was released which stayed in production till 2013. Even right now, these aircrafts are in high demand in the pre-owned market due to their famous reliability. Fitted with one and a half cabin zones and a range of over 2000 nautical miles, 114 of these jets were built during their production run. It was an improvement on the Learjet 60 in almost every way and one of the most important upgrades was that it introduced a higher air altitude of 51,000 feet.
The Learjet’s avionics system was Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 suite. It is a fully integrated system that comes with benefits that are instrumental in the long run. These include the reduced weight and a great focus on the display area with a 75% increase in that department. Operation of the Learjet is made much safer due to the electronic charting features that also aid in the ease of use of the jet. Overall, the technological upgrades that the XR possesses contribute little by little to making it a much more capable jet.
Interior
When entering the Learjet 60 XR, the most noticeable difference in the interior is that it is more spacious at 447 cubic feet of room. There is a capacity of 6 seats in the jet, 2 individual seats, and a four-seat club. While in the air, the 60 XR is remarkably quiet and has one of the better cabins in that regard in its class. On top of that, there are 5 unique floorplans that the owner can choose between. The baggage area has a total volume of 59 cubic feet, making sure that you do not suffer from troubles of lack of space.
Exterior
The photogenic exterior of the Learjet 60 XR makes it quite ‘instagrammable’. The exterior is especially desired by people who prefer the design aesthetic of the 90s. The tail height of the aircraft stands at 14.6 feet with a wingspan of 43.8 feet. Compared to its wingspan, it is quite a long aircraft at 58.7 feet. Its maximum takeoff weight is about 23,500 pounds. A range of over 2000km makes it a great pick for a regional flyer
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