Learjet 36

The Learjet 36 is the new and improved version of the Lear 35. The 35’s boasting rights came from its range, and the Lear 36 only expanded on that asset. It can fly 1,530 miles (1,330 nautical miles) nonstop. That means direct flights from San Francisco to Honolulu. Good handling characteristics, low fuel burn, and fast cruise speeds are part of the Lear 36’s assets as well.

A maximum of six passengers can travel in the Lear 36’s cabin. It is 12.9 feet long, 4.9 feet wide, and 4.4 feet high. There are 40 cubic feet of baggage space, enough to hold about eight standard-sized suitcases.

The real strength of the Learjet 36 is its range, takeoff, and cruise capabilities. Two Honeywell TFE731-2-2B engines provide 3,500 pounds of thrust, allowing the Lear 36 to take off in 4,972 feet. The maximum take off weight is pretty high as well at 18,300 pounds.

Components of the TFE731-2-2B engines are used in much higher-performing jets as well. Their pressure compressors were taken from the Garret 660-series engine, which is used on 747s. Their turbine components come from DC-10s, and the high-pressure impellers are a modified version of the one used in the TPE 331 and T76 engines.

The Learjet 36 is has a relatively long range for a private jet, and can cruise at speeds as high as 451 ktas, or 424 ktas with four passengers. Fuel consumption is excellent: the 31A burns only 177 pounds of fuel per hour. For comparison’s sake, that’s 14 pounds fewer than the Hawker 400XP and 64 pounds fewer than the Citation VI.

A few other details make the Lear 36 a popular private jet. First of all, it meets FAR part 36 noise standards, making it a kind of “good neighbor” at airports. Furthermore, the avionics system is completely redesigned from previous models, giving pilots an uncluttered control panel that is easy to work with. Pilots have also commented on its agility and excellent performance capabilities.

The Learjet 36 is a high-performing business jet that meets the standards of excellence of a private jet in the Lear series. It is rare to find private jets that can fly as fast, as far, or as economically as the Lear 36.

Learjet 45

New models of private jets come out every year, but it’s only once in a while that a jet is released that is truly innovative. The Learjet 45 is one of the rare jets that seamlessly integrates new technology with a tested and successful older design. Its speed and economy are to be expected – it is a Learjet, after all – but the rest of its small features add up to a high-quality private jet. The Learjet 45’s cabin holds eight seats, usually in a double club layout, with plenty of room to swivel, recline, and track. The cabin’s length and width is 59 inches and 61 inches, respectively. Don’t be mislead by the measurements; the interior of the Learjet 45 was designed to offer the most usable passenger space possible so the passengers don’t feel claustrophobic.

Other fine points of the cabin’s design make it useful and comfortable, from work tables that fold down from the walls to an extra pressure relief port on the door for added passenger safety. The noise level in the cabin never exceeds 72 dB and a two-zone temperature control system ensures that both the cabin and the cockpit are kept comfortable. An external compartment provides 80 cubic feet of baggage space.The Learjet 45 can fly 2,471 miles (2,147 nautical miles) nonstop and can cruise at 517 mph. Two AlliedSignal TFE731-20AR turbofan engines provide 3,500 pounds of thrust each on takeoff.

The standards for anti-ice systems were stiffened by the FAA while the Learjet 45 was still in the design phase. It comes as no surprise that the resulting private jet had the most advanced anti-ice system of any light- or mid-sized jet. The engine anti-icing system was completely redesigned for better ice removal. Bleed air load balancing software increases the engines’ total thrust, and improves the rate of climb while the ice removal system is in use. The software distributes the bleed air system between the two engines so that they perform uniformly. The Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics system includes four large-format EFIS (ERO Frequency Information Systems) and a 3-D approach navigation system through a Universal UNS-1C FMS. For the first time in a Learjet, there are no restrictions on the lateral and vertical approach guidance simulations.

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For more information about the Learjet 45, or for help in purchasing or selling a Learj45, contact Kevin O'Leary at 303-410-1900.