Flexjet Lear 31s - How many in fleet now and for how long?

[On Your Six]

I think I saw a Flexjet Lear 31 recently at PHL. I thought Flexjet was phasing out the Lear 31 in favor of the Lear 40 and Lear 45... How many does Flexjet still operate and do newhires still go to the Lear 31 or are most now going to the Lear 40/45 and 60?

I have always been impressed with the Lear 31 and its climb rate - looks like a fun airplane to fly despite the cramped quarters up front.... Anyone out there fly one for Flexjet or another company - did you enjoy flying it? What did you like and dislike about it?

 

[AirChef]

31A Fleet

We should have around six aircraft left by the end of the year, and those will stay on line for one more year and that will end it's tenure. As you may know Bombardier stopped making the aircraft about 2 years ago, the rumor was that Bombardier was not making enough off of each sale and with the up coming release of all the new little jets (like Honda) the market was not going to support the Lear 31A price tag. The downfalls are the potty seat and putting bags in through the middle of the aircraft, and of course squeezing into the cockpit. The plus was the outstanding performance it will climb straight to 510 with only crew and fuel plus with temps of -68c or lower (you only do it for gee whiz). I hate to see it go as it easily outclassed every other aircraft in it's class when It comes to performance and looks (on a standard day fl 450 in under twenty minutes). The Lear 60 will beat the 31A down low but in the low thirties the 31A takes over, so they end up with the same climb rate to altitude.

 

[Bandit60]

Speaking from a piloting stand point, the 31a is a blast to fly. It is a little sports car, but it has no fuel. The fuel issue is the worst part of it. It will climb fast and turn on a dime. To me I actually flying on non passenger legs so that I can really fly it.

 

[LJDRVR]

I loved the 31. Light, responsive controls, good performance, great ergonomics. (Nice cockpit!) Looking at what you've flown, it's not going to knock your socks off at all. Of the A/C on your profile, it's actually pretty similiar to the T-38 in certain ways. (looks good, weighs about the same, carries 4200 pounds of gas.) Unfortunately, no burners, no ten thousand feet loops, and no 720 degress per second roll rate.

The 31 has conventional control cables, so you get a fair amount of feedback that you wouldn't see in a hydraulic jet, particularly as the smash increases. Trimable horizontal stab, so the pitch forces are pretty consistent. (Lighter as you go faster.) both ailerons are equiped with a servo tab which makes for nice crisp roll response with no breakout forces at all, except maybe at very slow airspeeds. (I didn't spend much time there.) Like the F-15, the 31 is a "feet on the floor" jet. You'll only use the rudders single-engine and on the ground. nice autopilot/avionics suite.

Only two complaints. You always want more fuel (3 hour airplane), and weight & balance. If you fill all the seats, (especially the potty seat) you cannot land at min IFR fuel without going forward of limits. So, with eight folks in back, you've gotta land with something like 2500 pound on board. Unless of course you want to transfer some fuel into the trunk. Then you would land at IFR mins, problem being you wouldn't be able to get at that fuel fast enough if the transfer pump failed.

The only airplane I ever flew that was more fun was a Lear 24.