Lear 70 ?

[hawkerjet]

Has anybody heard the scuttlebut on the proposed new and improved Lear 60? I understand that they are going to mate the Lear 45 wing and gear to the Lear 60xr and give it a new designation.(I heard that it will not be the Lear 70) The announcement is suppose to come out at this Falls' NBAA.
This would be a hell of an aircraft that still won't compete directly with other's in the product line namely the CL300.

 

[ultrarunner]

We were talking about this a year or so ago Hawk, and I chimed in then.

First, the 60 could use a re-wing job as all of us that fly it know how quick it can run out of wing. If for nothing else but to get some good wheels and brakes.

But it's going to need much more than just a 45 wing. That wing is essentially designed to carry 21,000 lbs and loaded up a 60 is almost 3k more than that.

Secondly, the 60 can't tolerate any reduction in wing fuel. The 45 carries only 6k of fuel. How much of that is wing-only?

Now, if the 45 wing was redesigned to carry say, 2000 lbs of fuel per wing and strengthened to support a gross weight of 27,000 lbs, then you'd have an airplane.

An APU equiped 60 is a 4 pax plane topped off. Folks want a couple more seats usable for longer range trips.

If we could get 9k of fuel and a 27k gross on a re-wing job then we'd have a plane that can do NY-SFO and SFO-PHNL. And that's how a project like this should be looked at.

If the 60 gets re-winged and it only results is some good wheels and brakes and a few more miles down range, it's a big waste of time and money, IMO.

 

[LJ45]

Secondly, the 60 can't tolerate any reduction in wing fuel. The 45 carries only 6k of fuel. How much of that is wing-only?

.

You do realize the 45 has more fuel in the wing than the Lear 60?

The 45 carries almost 1700 lbs per side, almost 3400 lbs in the wings.

 

[ultrarunner]

You do realize the 45 has more fuel in the wing than the Lear 60?

The 45 carries almost 1700 lbs per side, almost 3400 lbs in the wings.

No, I didn't know that, which is why I asked. That would give a 60 "almost" 500 lbs more fuel capacity (60 is 1450 per side). So that's what, 25 more minutes of flying? That's 200 miles...maybe! That's a $hit load of work for 200 nm, don't you think?

Again, a re-winged Lear 60 is going to have to significantly change what a stock 60 doesn't have. And a couple hundred miles 'aint it!.

 

[LJ45]

I agree. Don't do it half a$$.

The 60 needs more external bagage, better APU and double club etc...

 

[ultrarunner]

I agree...but don't think BAS hasn't though of all this. It's all about price-point. A 60XR is prly around a 13m airplane. G200's are going out the door for 18m. And it's a 3000nm airplane with 4 folks.

If a 60 is going to get a re-design, it MUST compete on price point, and I'm thinking 15 to 16m max.

Anything less, and you buy and XR...more and you get a bigger plane.

Maybe the XR is a stop-gap and will get phased out. Be interesting to watch.

 

[hawkerjet]

We'll see what the braintrust in Bombardier come up with.... A double club lear with SFO-PHNL would be a hot seller if it didn't encroach on the CL300 too much.

 

[LJ45]

well, I was not impressed with the 60XR and the Learjet quote in a mag. a while back... that "they went way and above the call of duty with the 60XR"

Really, about all they did was bring it to Collins and let them do a STC on the proline 21.

JMHO

 

[ultrarunner]

We'll see what the braintrust in Bombardier come up with.... A double club lear with SFO-PHNL would be a hot seller if it didn't encroach on the CL300 too much.

I would agree. We would prly be all over it as trips like that would represent only about 30 percent of our flying and I suspect my boss would tolerate the cabin for that amount of flying at the right price point.

 

[ultrarunner]

well, I was not impressed with the 60XR and the Learjet quote in a mag. a while back... that "they went way and above the call of duty with the 60XR"

Really, about all they did was bring it to Collins and let them do a STC on the proline 21.

JMHO

OH, you're absolutely right. Heck, Duncan or some other first class outfit will have a PL-21 retrofit of their own for LR 60 and it will prly be a better implementation!