The Learjet Legacy | Behind the Wings on PBS
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- Опубліковано 15 лип 2024
- The Learjet Legacy | Behind the Wings on PBS #303
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For nearly sixty years the Learjet came to define a new class of luxury airplane - the business jet. Now, the last Learjet ever is being assembled at the Wichita-based production facility in “The Aviation Capital of the World”. Speaking with aviation icons past and present, we get an intimate look at a company that shaped aviation as we know it today. From its record-setting performance achievements to its outsized role in popular culture, the Learjet’s place in history is here to stay, long after the production lines shut down.
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Hosts:
Shahn Sederberg
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Director:
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Producer:
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Executive Producer:
Karen Slye
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It was heartbreaking to hear that Learjet is going the way of the dodo bird. My father Chuck Bradley was the chief test pilot for Learjet from 1977-81. I had the pleasure of flying at FL550 in a green Lear 55 on test flights when I was 8 years old. I wish Bombardier would not have closed this line. I believe they are going to regret it in the future. Thank you for putting this video up it was a pleasure to watch.
I am not surprised Bombardier closing the US Lear jet assembly lines . Bombardier have made many puzzling and flat out bizarre business decisions over the last 15 years mostly driving by politics or by wrong headed cost cutting at the expense of quality aircraft (cough cough) Like reckless cost cutting policies started by Harry Stonesphincter and continue by his successors which eventually came to head with 737 max disasters and the 787 dreamliner chaos. Harry Stonesphincter main claim to fame was spent hundreds of millions dollars moving Boeing headquarters to Chicago mainly to keep his wife happy when it made Zero business sense and we all know how well Harry Stonesphincter marriage went 🤣🤣. Am I sadden by the closing of Lear Jet yes, Surprised No considering Bombardier passed business decisions.
My father got my mother to get my sister, brother and me out of school to let my father show us all the new learjet. Traveling at times thereafter, there was an excitement and thrill that I cannot easily describe. You just knew it was special and that you needed to actually savor every moment.
Learjet Aviation is for sale, If no deal can be found it will shutter. They just don't have strong enough sales to make it work.
They won't regret it.. they're too busying regretting selling the A220.
😅😅@@daveshondel5108jkkmk😅😅jkkko o😊kno de😅
I was in the Business Jet industry in Wichita from 1978 to 2012. I wondered if I would see anybody I knew while watching this. Sure enough, Charlie Johnson. A great pilot and a great guy to know and work with.
In the late 70's/early 80's, I flew the 25D for a few years and then had the joy of flying 2 years in the very last 24E off the line. The feeling of walking up to that beautiful 24E on a wet ramp at night remains a thrill I will always recall. When you pushed the thrust up, you better have it pointed in the right direction and have a plan. With no fuselage tank & only wings and tips, the 4,750lbs of jet fuel disappeared fast. We considered it our duty to entertain KATL airline pilots with steep climbs (the only kind of climb the 24E did). Simply an amazing airplane with outstanding performance.
I feel so privileged to have flown the 25D and 35A and LOVED them. Fantastic aircraft.
"And you flew your Lear Jet up to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun" Carlyle Simon sang the song but the Lear could make records too
Glad I had the privilege to fly a Lear 75 for a few years in my career. Fun airplane to hand fly!
I flew the Lears in the 1980’s models LJ23,24,25,28,35,36,55 and loved them all. This documentary brought tears to my eyes. Long live the LJ’s FOREVER. Many great flights and memories…….❤️
I will “me too” you on that. Except but just the 23’s, 24’s, 25’s and 35’s
You are lucky to fly the 28.
@@bearlemley Bear, I flew the 28 Longhorn out of Houston in 1981 ish. It was fast and climbed better than the others without the tip tanks. Only problem was not much fuel and 2-2.5 hrs after TO you better be descending to land. Beautiful jet but limited. The 28/29’s did not last long. Like I said “Great Memories” that last a lifetime.
Great mini-documentary! The Lear was my first jet. Ten months in the right set followed by my first type rating. I flew the 24, 25, 31, 35 and 55. Sublime airplane.
Thank you for helping keep this amazing legacy alive…
I saw my dad!!! 44 seconds in, on left in orange flight suit
@@patticole1627 That's awesome 😊👍
A lot of great memories watching this. 23's - 24's - a bit of 25 and 28. Shoehorning into that cockpit was always a pleasure. Loved going through
Combs Gates FBO in DEN and elsewhere. Because we were in early Lears we were treated like royalty - They loved seeing the low Serial # guys -
they knew that was where it all started, and they showed their appreciation. Charter, Air Ambulance,Corporate, and Cargo - Those planes always
made it a joy. We went Fast - We went High - and - We made great Contrails!! There is a special place in my heart, and my career for LearJet.
@Bobb Grimley You're right - In a hurry - Corrected. Take Care. It was about the experience of being with those wonderful machines.
My Father in Law worked for Bill in Witchita and went with him to Reno. He told many stories and had fond memories of his time with Lear.
I grew up in Wichita. When they started the test flights on the Lear, I would ride my bike down to the airport and watch. Witnessed my first aircraft crash when one went down in a one engine takeoff attempt.
Liked the pictures of '60s Wichita! "Wollfe's Clothing"! 😄
It is still the coolest private jet, amazing to see the early model and how its design still looks modern.
Best ride I ever had was a Lear 35-1.5 hrs MSP to Wichita, KS!!
My wife is from WIchita. I lived there from 80-2013 when we moved to FL. I am a retired airline pilot. Son of an AF fighter pilot. I've never flown a Learjet but being a child of the 60s they are so right when we looked in the sky and saw a jet, it was a "Learjet". It breaks my heart about Learjet. But the biz world is cutthroat. So it's not surprising knowing how poorly the Learjet was selling these last years....But it will never be forgotten. Maybe some day it will be started up again......
I had the pleasure of flying the 23,24 and 25 series Lear. My first jet type rating. I also had the pleasure of getting my left seat line check in the L1011 given to me by Bill Lear’s son.
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
Was that at Lockheed or an airline?
Charter outfit
Great video
I really enjoyed all the early footage. I look back fondly on the time I spent flying the 24B.
I’m fascinated by all things aerospace and exploration, and this was a really well done video!! Thank you!!
Good Stuff! Fueled many working at FBO IN Birmingham Alabama in the early 80's.
Very cool! Thanks for the info!
Toronto Canada Bombardier built a lot of wings. Nice to be able to see a production video , Quality product sad to see it's gone.
Not sure what was more entertaining - the story of learjet, or the 400-piece orchestra blaring in the background.
This was disappointing. They decided to go emotional instead of technical. Wasted opportunity
What a machine!
Bill Lear was a genius. Along with other visionaries like Dwayne Wallace, Clyde Cessna, Ted Smith and others, they shaped business aviation into what it is today.
I especially liked seeing Clay Lacy in this show. What an amazing person. I saw him perform a full demonstration in a Learjet at the Planes of Fame Airshow in, (I believe: 2017 - 2018?) - Still flying - incredible.
Thanks for posting this! I saw my dad, 44 sec. in, wearing the orange flight suit!
You're welcome!
My mother dated Mr. Lear for a short time in the late 60s. At one point during a date at a fancy restaurant, he mentioned that if he had a daughter, he would name her "Shanda". We still don't know, to this day, whether or not he was joking or if he was serious.
Bill Lear did indeed have a daughter named Shanda
Very interesting video 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
In the mid 1960s our family lived in Orlando. Just a very young teen. I'd ride my bicycle to Herndon arpt., I was able to pedal my bicycle right in a hanger where a lear was based. I asked the pilot, can I take a look inside? Sure, go ahead, just don't touch anything. At 71 yrs. Old. When I see an early Lear fly over, I look up with a smile, wow a lear. Even on my bicycle I pull over and look up. It may be small inside, but then, your not in it long enough to get tired.
Discontinuing Learjet is such a shortsighted move: Here’s what I would have done if I was ceo of bombardier: start a internal supersonic business jet project, used Learjet as the brand to push it forward, aim for cruise speed faster than Boom.
I had a ringside seat to the Learjet early days, and appreciate the video. You know you aren't young anymore when an airplane you flew is in now a museum. However declaring Learjet the first business jet sorta treads on thin ice given the Lockheed Jetstar predated it by about 3 years.
Thank you so much for helping educate the public about what an incredibly important contribution this was to the aviation & aerospace industry...
bad ass video. Thank you so much for making it.
No problem! Glad you liked it!
the funnest & most challenging airplane i’ve been lucky to have flown. miss it so much!
If I may ask, in what ways was it challenging? (not a pilot)
I’ve flown the 30 & 40 series, the later the best👍Later in life whilst flying the heavy metal I often thought back about those early days flying a small rocket ship 10000’ higher above the weather and most traffic, I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience that sports car of the air feeling👍
My dad Jack Dixon was chief of flight training when Lear started in Wichita.
I remember well my first flight in a Lear 24 from San Antonio to Eugene; that little jet went to FL410 and hauled ass home; a great airplane
Outstanding! Really interesting.
OMG 16:35 we finally get past the lazy slow zoom on the usurper to a sort of slider camera movement.
That was sad to hear that no more new Lear. Long live Lear!
Finally the music and start our got quieter.
Rocketships!
Blessed to have been able to fly the 60. Absolute weapon
Great video,thanks!!!!!!!
Glad you liked it!
Very nice.
I want Matthew Burchette back
same here, I'm like "Who is this imposter?"
Matt is at the Museum of Flight in Seattle I believe now.
Yeah, Matthew Burchette moved to curate the Museum of Flight - I believe he still does video "tour" videos.
I maintain the 40/45/70/75s mostly, cool aircraft.
More room than pistons, but not by much when you are working on them
Back in the 90's when I lived in Wichita....I had the opportunity to ride on a Lear 24F and Lear 31A. As nice as the 31A was....I actually enjoyed the 24F more. I felt like my ass was strapped to a bottle-rocket on takeoff. 😆
4:10 History of Wichita. Wish they had made comment about the Stage 3 noise abatement regs. that eliminated thousands of early Learjets.
what a great video,
Thank you!
Very interesting but I cannot hear for the background music.
The Swiss designed the best airplane wing for years to come...and it took Lear to see its potential. Seen in this light, a bit of Switzerland still flies with every original Learjet today.
Cool video. Sad to see them stop production. I flew a Learjet model 25D for a few years back in the early 1980s. A lot of fun. Bill Lear was much like Elon Musk today, creative and entrepreneurial.
Not sure how 9 people could dislike this video.....what is to not like? very informative
Where TF is Matt Burchette?
Took a new job at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
@@richd8537 Isn't Museum of Flight Seattle closed?
@@gmcjetpilot Don't know because I am on the East Coast, but they put out a 2019 press release that said they hired him.
@@richd8537 Yep. Seattle, Museum of Flight is associated with Boeing and is on Boeing Field Proper. I know it well. Use to live in Seattle. That is still open currently, and recall the notice Matt was new Senior Curator late 2019. I was mixing it up with the Flying Heritage & Combat Museum also in Seattle, founded by the late Paul Allen. It closed in May 2020 and still closed until further notice. Both totally worth a visit, when Flying Heritage reopens. Museum of Flight at Boeing Field since 1965 went through major updating in the 90's I recall. First class.
Really appreciated and enjoyed this video about Learjet! However, I noticed many times it was mentioned that the Learjet 23 was the first business jet - which is INCORRECT! I hate to bust anybody's bubble here, but the first business jet was the French- built Morane-Saunier MS.760 Paris Jet, that first flew on July 29, 1954! Beechcraft briefly marketed this jet in the USA in early 1955! The Learjet 23 first flew on October 7, 1963 - over nine years after the Paris Jet! Yes, the Paris Jet was originally built for the French Military, but it still became the world's first business jet with Beechcraft's marketing! The Lockheed JetStar was the USA's first business jet, first flying on Sept.4, 1957 (built to USAF requirements originally, but also entered commercial service in 1961)! For argument's sake though, one might be correct in saying the Learjet Model 23 was the first TRUE business jet designed SPECIFICALLY for the General Aviation business jet market in The United States!
You brought up some inconvenient truths, lol. I can see the arguments against the MS760 being a 'true' business jet, but the JetStar was the real deal, even if its origins weren't based on a 'business jet' business model, per se. If any jet could be considered the original business jet from a modern point of view, however, the JetStar would be it, based on its configuration and looks. Now, as far as designing a jet from the ground up strictly to be sold to the civilian market, the Lear company as a whole was 'that jet' so I can see your argument from that point of view. But, as far as a small, privately owned jet for civilians go, the Paris Jet is arguably probably the first one. The JetStar second. Learjet third...
@@culcune Thanks for your reply! Well it has been 5 months since I made my comment about the Learjet Model 23 not being the first business jet and, upon further research, based on aircraft first flights, this is what I have found: not only did the MS760 Paris Jet (7/9/54) and the Lockheed Jetstar (9/4/57) fly before the Lear 23 - so did the North American Sabreliner (9/16/58), the DeHavilland DH125 (8/13/62), The Rockwell Jet Commander (1/27/63) and the Dassault Falcon 20 (5/4/63). The Lear 23 first flew on 10/7/63 - which would roughly make it the seventh business jet to fly (nowhere close to being the first)! Sadly, after 59 years and six months of production, the very last Learjet (model 75 Liberty) has been delivered!
@@stevenward4162 Wow! I copied and pasted all those names to Google and sure enough, a whole slew of business jet picters popped up. So, I guess the only way to keep Learjet as a 'first' would be that the company as a whole was the FIRST company to be set up to design and build business jets exclusively. Yes, sad to see that they produced their very last plane. When the 'end of the line' of Learjet was discussed a few years ago, I wondered why Bombardier didn't simply keep the Learjet name and call their 'Global' series 'Learjet'. Already had worldwide name recognition and would have kept the Learjet legacy alive.
@@culcune Maybe Bombardier has other things up their sleeves with the Learjet name! From what I've read, they intend to use the Learjet facility for conversion/upgrade work on special military Global aircraft! On another footnote, the first couple of Lockheed Jetstars were twin-engined and powered by Bristol Orpheus turbojets when they first flew in 1957! Sometime later in 1959, Lockheed built and flew the first of the four-engined Jetstars with Pratt&Whitney JT12 turbojets! Now, as a 20 year employee and retiree of Gulfstream Aerospace, I appreciate the progress on all of the early and current production business jets from the various manufacturers, especially what we were able to accomplish with our Gulfstream series of jets. Hopefully, in my lifetime, I will get to see someone build a supersonic business jet (but that's a whole other subject)!
@@stevenward4162 Wow, again! You have firsthand knowledge of the industry as an insider. Your former employer, Gulfstream, has a strong following itself, and seems to have adapted to the business jet world very nicely. I was very impressed with the small airplane, the Citation X, flying nearly at Mach 1, and having a long range, but now, with a much larger Gulfstream jet, one can fly double the passengers at a similar speed and a much longer range. That is definitely progress and it seems that Gulfstream will continue to be a leader in its field for years to come.
Although I’ve never flown a Lear product, I know many who have, and pilots love/hate them. Love the speed, but hated the cockpit comfort.
It’s always been sexy looking, fast looking and the name is known worldwide.
As the video stated; say the words “business jet” and one will ask “Lear jet” in response.
I love my Lear 75 have been around the world a few times with it. But my next bird is probably going to be a Citation XLS. 🛩 The customer service and sales at Lear is not want it use to be.
I wonder if Mitsubishi's purchase of Bombardier will impact future maintenance and production.
Mitsubishi only purchased the CRJ program from Bombardier. They didn't buy the entire Bombardier company. Bombardier still owns the Learjet brand and is responsible for parts supply for the Lears still in service but they are outsourcing all the parts they can instead of continuing producing those parts.
My Jet ? 23-048 , Learjet 23 ! We took delivery from Mr. Lear in Wichita. Sadly Lear jumped all over the sales to white celebrities like Frank Sinatra, many others... but omitted James Brown from the list! I assisted Mr. Brown and spent time in that ridiculously loud rocket ship that got us eight days out of seven! Otis redding had just purchased a twin engine piper but ended up with a worn out Beechcraft GS 18 army surplus airplane that would take his entire band out on tour. He was about to buy a lear and let his band have a new tour bus to meet him on the road. This old Beechcraft 18 had problems with the instruments and crashed , killing every single person while on final i'm madison Wisconsin. our 23 was good as gold!
Do you gave any pictures of 23-048 N805LJ? When did Mr. Brown use this airplane?
@@richardkovich4474 There are many pictures on UA-cam of Mr. Brown and that plain one album cover I believe we have it and some other ones . the plane had a new paint job shortly after we got it because it had to go back to get a better deicing kit and a couple of other improvements that pretty much turned it from a 23 into a 24. I do remember the landing gear was beefed up. The Learjet back then only had fuel in the wings and the nacelle (tip tanks) and it used a lot of fuel. Weight and balance of the wings was extremely important and in the center console was the switch that fed from the four different tanks. We picked up that airplane about 1966 as I recall we thought you could just pick up the phone and buy a jet like a car, you actually have to order it and wait a long time but we got lucky because one of the customers that had a double order decided to only by one and the other one had already been completed so we were good to go I believe the cost was a little over $1 million. We were used to commercial and this little Learjet was loud as hell! Especially when we are not expecting it and the landing gear started going down! As soon as the wheel well doors start to open the wind noise is horrific! And occasionally the pilot would be coming in perhaps a little fast but when he hit The runway perfectly it was just a gentle kiss but if something happened and it landed one side first and then the other one, This high-speed wobbling was scary. I will say this airplane was a symbol of black pride and success! Our audiences have always been mixed when we started we were told by of all people Fats Domino that if you want to be successful and you are black you got to figure out a way to get in The teenagers record collection. That’s why we did the TAMI show back in I think it was 1964. We were looking for a hairdresser for Mr. Brown at our hotel and the only thing we could come up with was a gay black hairdresser who did predominantly old white women’s hair. He decided to give Mr. Brown a woman’s hairstyle and it became a smash!
Learjet was one of the first but not THE first. It was the first in the US but the Brits and the French did business jets about the same time as Lear's.
Behind the wings is usually turbulent air. Am I correct?
Lear was not the first private jet. The French had one before along with Lockheed and the Sabre Liner.
All those jets were built for military use. Learjet was the first production jet SOLELY for business.
@@herkloader34 You appear to forget the Bae 125.
@@herkloader34 I collect brochures for PJs have quite a few 125 brochures before its demise from the BAE then Raytheon until Beech Craft days.Those guys always sent them .
Business BET
sad.....
What's with the "narrator". This looks like a rip off of someone else's video.
LOL "they were bought out by Bombarier" They were bought out by the Canadian Tax Payer!
In reality, whatever the metrics you use, Bombardier got way less subsidies than its competitors (Embraer, Boeing, Airbus etc).
I’m three minutes in and the music is so over powering that I am straining to hear what is being said ! I am about to give up watching. Whoever did this sound mixing, gets an F.
The Lear (23) was NOT the "first" nor the "fastest" (except rate-of-climb) private bizjet... only the *smallest,* and therefore the cheapest. Is PBS really behind this series? Where are their fact-checkers?
Tried to watch but the backgound music was so loud and overbearing that I left. I'm honestly sorry I couldn't watch it.
Crank the music back a bit, it's so incredibly dated and pushy and loud. Who the "H" are you trying to impress? Not once did we hear the jet engine roar! That's the real music. Then how about a guide through one? That's missing too. All in all, this whole video needed a new storyboard.
Tried hard to watch and listen to this video as the topic is important. However, most of the time the background music was too loud and completely the wrong music for your video. I got to 9:07 and had to call it quits, shame.
Democrat add on your video? Are you trying to sink Learjet?
the loud music makes this unwatchable.
The music is most anoying
No
The hell with you PBS so y'all got this show got rid of mat turned it into an hour-long and made it boring thank you so much for corporate izing something that actually was enjoyable to regular people yet again just leave the original videos up so we can all at least watch those that way y'all can get more of that UA-cam money y'all seem to want
What a terrible little jet. Well, it was cheap, I guess that was it major benefit. Why in the world they decided to build this with early onset Mach tuck I will never understand. And I don’t understand how it got a pass all those years. The First Business Jet was NOT the time lear jet. Though this video tries to rewrite history it was Lockheed that built the first business jet. But maybe we are just talking about cheap jets here? Having already been a test pilot for a manufacturer, I was learned a little about handing qualities and desirable characteristics by the time I started flying the 20 and 30 series. A holy mackerel. (Who says that anymore) the Lear sixty. What were they thinking? Advertising poor handling with the huge delta fins. (Nobody uses those except to fix a problem see: beech 1900) And no brakes!
Ah well I didn’t like them, but that doesn’t matter to anyone but me, and everyone else over six feet tall ;-)
The music overlay is extremely distracting and tiresome, it makes it almost impossible to watch the clip.
Oh boo-hoo, no more Learjets to be made. I'm sorry, but the combination of 1) NOT stand-up headroom; 2) NO chance of single-pilot certification; and 3) Too "hot" for low-time owner-operators to safely fly... means this is just no longer a viable choice against newer jets (and even turboprops) with much more forgiving flight characteristics. Add in the fuel-burn, fake lavatory, and no APU (in most models), and it's past time to stick a fork in it.