Private Jets Guide: Lear 45XR Retrofit

In the early months of 2004, Bombardier began offering Learjet 45 owners the option of upgrading their aircraft to the Learjet 45 XR model. The retrofit is offered as a series of service bulletins that upgrade an in-service Learjet 45 to the Learjet 45 XR variant. Dozens of private jets have been upgraded since the retrofit option became available - but what does the XR retrofit really add to the aircraft?

The most readily apparent change between the Learjet 45 and Learjet 45 XR is the enhancement to the engines. Newer TFE731-20BR engines replace the older TFE731-20 engines used on the Learjet 45 private jets. The change in engine doesn’t impact maximum thrust or engine inspection intervals. The benefits of the upgrade are actually driven by a change in the engine flat-rating which allows the engine to produce more thrust under demanding conditions where thrust was limited on the older engines. Therefore, although the upgrade increases climb and speed capability on a standard day, the benefits are most apparent when considering operations under challenging conditions.

For example, the XR retrofit dramatically improves hot and high runway performance. At sea level and on a standard day the Learjet 45 and Learjet 45 XR require approximately the same runway length (when taking off at the same weight). When the runway is elevated to 5,000 feet and the outside air temperature increases to 25 deg C. (77 deg F.), at a takeoff weight of 20,500 lb the Learjet 45 uses 7,275 ft of runway. The Learjet 45 XR needs only 5,565 ft to take off under the same conditions. Operating out of a very short runway, where operators of private jets are often forced to off-load fuel in order to lower aircraft weight and shorten take-off distances, the improved field performance of the XR can translate into a considerable range advantage. For example, out of Aspen on a 68 deg F day, the Learjet 45 XR can fly 1,000 nm further than the Learjet 45 with 6 passengers.

In addition to runway performance, the XR upgrade impacts speed and climb characteristics. In fact, under standard ISA conditions at a typical mid cruise weight of 18,000 lb, the Learjet 45 XR can cruise up to 8% faster than the Learjet 45 at FL470, and 4% faster at FL450. But again, the benefit of the upgrade is most noticeable under the elevated temperatures seen in the U.S. and Europe during summer months, and year-round in many areas such as Africa and the Middle East. For example, the Learjet 45 XR can cruise up to 19% faster than the Learjet 45 under ISA+15 deg conditions, and can climb to cruise altitude much faster than the Learjet 45.
Finally, the XR retrofit kit is sold with an increase to MTOW. The 1,000 lb weight increase significantly increases useful load under all operating conditions and is so popular it is often bought as a stand-alone service bulletin. For example, with full fuel, the Learjet 45 XR can carry 1,575 lb of payload and the L45 can carry 575 lb of payload. In layman’s terms, the Learjet 45 XR can carry an additional 1,000 lb of either people or baggage when the tanks are full.

The Learjet 45 XR retrofit offers the enhanced performance of the Learet 45XR to current owners of Lear 45 private jets. The speed and climb improvements under typical conditions are substantial, but the retrofit will offer the most value to owners that frequently operate in hot and or high environments, or out of short airfields. For those who plan on keeping their Lear 45 private jets for a while longer, the $575,000 XR retrofit may be well justified.

Mini Jets

Everyone is susceptible to excessive hype now and then, and the general aviation industry is no exception. Much excitement has surrounded the onset of the VLJs (Very Light Jets), small airplanes with jet engines that aim to revolutionize air travel. In anticipation of their arrival, air taxi services have sprung up, which hope to utilize the low-cost flight times of the miniature private jets to complete short commutes on-demand.

Who are the contenders in the VLJ race? Take a look:

Citation Mustang - Cessna Eclipse 500 - Eclipse Aviation Adam 700 - Adam Aircraft Industries
Diamond D-Jet - Diamond Aircraft
ATG Javelin - ATG and IAI
HondaJet - Honda Aircraft Company
Embraer Phenom 100 - Embraer
PiperJet - Piper Aircraft

Also see these related articles:
Mini Jets: Why All the Hype?
Beating the Airlines: the Everyman's Private Jet

Questions? Contact Kevin O'Leary at 303-410-1900 or koleary@jetadvisors.com

Services We Offer

Jet Advisors offers many services, some of which you may not be aware of:

Private Jet Acquisitions: we assist in determining which private jet best meets your needs, then finding it and completing the transaction.

Jet Sales: we will market and sell your private jet at the best possible price.

Fractional Jet Consulting: we provide information on all the fractional options available, including charter cards, fractional ownership, and on-demand charter and help determine which option, and which service, best suits your needs.

Private Jet Charter: on-demand charter as well as long-term charter service providers.

Aviation Consulting: financial analysis, including operating, fixed, and variable cost projections. Compare between different aircraft and options.

Insurance: hull, engine, and liability insurance.

Aircraft Appraisals: independent cost analysis for buyers or sellers.

Audits: we review your invoices and compare them to our database of similiar trips to find accounting errors and inconsistent charges. We also conduct safety audits and can provide operational safety reports on request.

CJ2+

Some quick facts about Cessna’s CJ2+:

· Uses FJ44-2A-24 engines
· Takes off in 3,360 feet at sea level
· Climbs to 37,000 feet in 15 minutes
· Can fly 1,178 nautical miles when carrying 4 passengers and reserves
· Uses Pro Line 21 avionics suite
· Seats 8 passengers in its 246 cubic foot cabin
· Sells for $6.068 million

CJ2+ Specifications and Analysis

International Travel

International travel for fractional jet owners raises some extra concerns, especially when it comes to customs delays. Should these delays be charged at the usual hourly rate, as an additional short leg, or not at all?

An article in our Buyer's Guide discusses the issue in further detail:

Customs Information for Fractional Jet Owners

Fly By Wire Avionics In the on 7X

The fly by wire technology itself – replacing heavy mechanical linkage and hydraulic systems with electrically actuated flight control systems – is far from new. Dassault has produced several military aircraft with full FBW technology, but the 7X is the first business aircraft to be completely reliant on it.

The fly-by-wire system drastically reduces aircraft weight, improves aircraft performance, autopilot handling, and overall reliability. For obvious reasons, redundancy is a vital part of the FBW technology, which is why the 7X has six FBW computers: three primary dual-channel computers and three single-channel secondary computers. Only two secondary computers are needed to keep the 7X in the air.