Mid-size jet still carries that Lear cachet and performance
Bombardier’s Learjet 60 and follow-on Learjet 60XR are the biggest Learjets ever produced. The company’s composite Model 85 was to be the largest but has since been canceled. The 60 series is considered a mid-size jet, but it represents one of the smaller airplanes of that class of business jets. More important, Lears have always been known as pilot’s airplanes; the 60/60XR continue that tradition—while also possessing refinements that wipe out the tricky handling characteristics that gave the first Lears a reputation as being a handful.
The 60 series was born of the Lear 55, a design that debuted in 1981. The 55 was a portly design departure from the sleek, slim Lear 20- and 30-series jets. But with the 55, a human actually could stand up in the 68-inch-tall cabin, albeit with his or her feet in a center floor trench. The 60 stretched the design by 43 inches, creating a larger cabin and slimming the appearance of the airplane. A sixth cabin window on the right side will distinguish a 60 from the 55.
Delta fins on the underside of the rear fuselage tame the yaw stability issues that plagued early Lears and reduce the potential for a deep stall. Now, the critical yaw-damping systems are no longer a no-go item. Similarly, the 60’s benign behavior negated the need for a stick pusher. Instead, it only has a stick shaker for stall warning.
Goals for the Model 60 design were to spruce up the 55’s cabin as well as improve runway performance and range. The design succeeded quite well. On the inside, a full-width lavatory occupies the aft cabin and represents a huge improvement over the 55’s phone booth of a lav. A pair of 4,600-pounds-static-thrust Pratt & Whitney PW305A turbofans took care of the 55’s performance shortcomings, although it’s a relative term since Lears have never been particularly good at runway performance and range.
With the new engines, more fuel capacity, and a drag-reduction effort, the 60 handily outperforms the 55 while using less fuel. The Pratts are FADEC controlled, too, making precise power selections a no-brainer for pilots. Just put the power levers in the desired click-stops for takeoff, climb, and cruise. Balanced field length is 5,360 feet and max range is about 2,400 nautical miles in optimum conditions.
Lears have always been stellar climb performers, and the 60 doesn’t embarrass its ancestors here. This airplane can get to FL410 in about 18 minutes. Like many Lears, the 60 is certified to FL510, but it has to be very light to get there. At a more typical FL430, normal cruise will yield 450 KTAS/Mach 0.76 on about 1,100 pph. One owner we spoke with plans first-hour fuel burn of 1,800 pph, falling to 1,200 pph in subsequent hours.
Up front, the 60 features an early EFIS setup in the form of Collins Pro Line 4 avionics and a single FMS 850. The XR brings the more modern and much-improved Pro Line 21 avionics with dual FMS 5000s. Redesigned and improved interiors became available with the XR, as well as improved brakes.
According to Vref, values for the Lear 60 range from $1.4 million for a 1993 model 60 to $6.3 million for a 2013 60XR.
Pete Bedell is a pilot for a major airline and
co-owner of a Cessna 172 and Beechcraft Baron D55.
SPEC SHEET
Bombardier Learjet 60/60XR
Powerplants | 2 P&W PW305A, 4,600 lbst ea
Length | 58 ft 8 in
Height | 14 ft 6 in
Wingspan | 43 ft 9 in
Seats | 2+8
Max takeoff weight | 23,500 lb
Balanced field length (sea level) | 5,360 ft
Max cruise speed | 453 kt
Range | 2,400 nm
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