The first private jet flight took place on May 18, 1958, in the United States. The aircraft was the Learjet 23, designed and built by William P. Lear, an American inventor, engineer, and entrepreneur born on June 26, 1902, in Hannibal, Missouri. He is best known for founding the Learjet Corporation, which revolutionized the private jet industry. Lear had a long and varied career, with interests in several different fields. He worked in radio and electronics in the 1920s and 1930s, and during World War II, he designed and manufactured the Lear Autofocus, an early automatic aircraft landing system. He later founded the Lear, Inc. company, which produced a range of electronic products, including car radios and aircraft navigational systems. In the 1950s, Lear turned his attention to aviation and began work on a small, high-performance business jet that could be flown by a single pilot. This led to the development of the Learjet 23, which made its first flight in 1963 and became the first successful private jet aircraft. Lear’s contributions to the aviation industry were recognized with numerous awards and honors, including induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1981. He passed away on May 14, 1978, at the age of 75, but his legacy lived on through the Learjet Corporation’s growth and his many contributions to the fields of electronics and aviation.
The Learjet company became known for designing and manufacturing high-performance private jets. The first Learjet model, the Learjet 23, was introduced in 1964 and quickly became a popular choice for business and private aviation. The Learjet 23 was a small, sleek jet that could carry up to six passengers and two crew members, with a top speed of 561 mph and a range of 2,350 miles. The first flight of the Learjet 23 was piloted by test pilot Hank Beaird, who took off from Wichita, Kansas, and flew the aircraft to Grant County Airport in Indiana. The flight covered a distance of 771 miles in just over an hour, marking a significant milestone in aviation history. The Learjet 23 was a game-changer in the aviation industry, introducing the concept of private jet travel and paving the way for the development of other private jet models. Over the years, the company developed and produced several other models of private jets, including the Learjet 24, Learjet 25, Learjet 28/29, Learjet 31/35, Learjet 45, Learjet 60, and Learjet 70/75. The company was also known for introducing several innovations in private jet design, such as the use of advanced avionics and composite materials. In 1990, the Learjet company was acquired by Bombardier Aerospace, a Canadian aircraft manufacturer, and became a part of Bombardier’s business aircraft division. Unfortunately for fans of the fast Learjets, Bombardier announced on February 11, 2021, that it would cease production of Learjet aircraft. This decision was made as part of Bombardier’s restructuring plan to focus on its more profitable business aircraft models, such as the Global and Challenger series. The last Learjet model produced by Bombardier was the Learjet 75 Liberty, which was built in limited numbers in 2021. As of now, there are no plans for Bombardier to resume production of Learjet aircraft.
Today, private jets are used by individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide for a variety of purposes, including business travel, medical transportation, and luxury leisure travel. It is difficult to provide an exact number of Learjets that are still actively flying as private jets since the information is not publicly available. However, according to the latest data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States, as of December 2021, there were 1,782 Learjet aircraft registered in the US. This includes all models of Learjet aircraft, both active and inactive. Many Learjet aircraft have been in service for several decades, and their owners and operators have invested in maintenance and upgrades to keep them airworthy and up-to-date with modern avionics and safety features. While the number of active Learjets may have decreased over time as newer models have been introduced, many of these iconic private jets remain in service and continue to be a popular choice for business and private aviation.
It’s important to take a moment to remember who we have to thank for our industry. William Lear was one of those people that launched our industry and was an American Icon in the private Aviation World. We will look deeper into the history of the private jet charter business in the next couple of blog posts, so until next time, Be Social, Fly Private!
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