Learjet 55
| Learjet 55 | |
|---|---|
| 300px | |
| Learjet 55 on final approach | |
| Role | Business jet |
| Manufacturer | Learjet |
| Introduction | 1981 |
| Status | Active, not in production |
| Produced | 1979–1987 |
The Learjet 55 "Longhorn" is an American-French business jet manufactured by Learjet.
Contents
Development and design
The Learjet 50 series was first announced at the 1977 Paris air show with larger cabins than the existing Learjets.[1] The series was to have three variants, the Learjet 54, 55 and 56 but only the Learjet 55 was built.[1] The Learjet 55 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with NASA-developed winglets, which gave rise to the nickname Longhorn. The aircraft has a T-tail and is powered by two Garrett TFE731 turbofans mounted each side of the rear fuselage.[1] It has a retractable tricycle landing gear and an enclosed cabin for up to ten passengers and a cockpit for the two crew.[1] Construction of the Learjet 55 began in April 1978 after extensive testing and work on the wing design which came, initially, from the Learjet 25. The Learjet 55 first flew on 19 April 1979. The first production aircraft were produced starting 18 March 1981. 147 Learjet 55 aircraft were delivered.
By 2018, a Learjet 55 can be had for $1 million or less.[2]
Variants
- Learjet 54
- Proposed 11-seat variant, not built.[3]
- Learjet 55
- Production variant, 126 built.[3]
- Learjet 55B
- 1986 - Improved version with a glass cockpit, improved take-off performance and increased range, 8 built.[3]
- Learjet 55C
- 1987 - New rear underfuselage design, with Delta Fins to improve lateral Dutch roll stability, and reduce takeoff and landing speeds.
- Learjet 55C/ER
- Extended-range version of the Learjet 55C.
- Learjet 55C/LR
- Long-range version of the Learjet 55C, fitted with an extra tank, carrying an extra 259 lb (117 kg) of fuel in the tail cone.
- Learjet 56
- Proposed eight-seat version, not built.[3]
Operators
Accidents and Incidents
- On 31 January 2025, flight MTS056. a Mexican-registered Learjet 55 operating as a air ambulance by a Scottsdale, Arizona-based Jet Rescue Air Ambulance with six people on board crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, at the intersection of Bustleton and Cottman Avenues, within 40 seconds after taking off from Atlantic Aviation at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. EST. The pediatric patient and her mother were en route to Tijuana International Airport in Mexico via Springfield-Branson National Airport, northwest of Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, after a medical procedure in a Philadelphia area facility.[5]
Specifications
Data from Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Capacity: 10
- Length: 55 ft 1 in (16.80 m)
- Wingspan: 43 ft 10 in (13.35 m)
- Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.48 m)
- Wing area: 264.5 sq ft (24.57 m2)
- Empty weight: 13,000 lb (5,897 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 21,500 lb (9,752 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × Garrett TFE731-3A-2B turbofan aero-engine, 3,700 lbf (16 kN) thrust each
Performance
- Maximum speed: 541 mph; 470 kn (871 km/h) at 30,000ft (9145m)
- Cruising speed: 462 mph; 402 kn (744 km/h) at 49,000ft (14935m)
- Range: 2,492 mi (2,165 nmi; 4,010 km) with four passengers and fuel reserves
- Service ceiling: 51,000 ft (15,545 m)
References
Notes
<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />
Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.
<references />, or <references group="..." />Bibliography
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Learjet 55. |
- Pages with reference errors
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Learjet aircraft
- 1970s United States business aircraft
- Twinjets
- T-tail aircraft
- Low-wing aircraft
- Aircraft first flown in 1979
- Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear
.jpg){kind=link}