Photograph:
Learjet 55 VH-LGH (c/n 048) at Mascot, NSW in November 1982 (Warwick Bigsworth)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Business and executive aircraft
Power Plant:
Two 3,700 lb st Garrett AiResearch TFE 731-3A-2B turbofans
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 13.34 m (43 ft 9½ in)
- Length: 16.79 m (55 ft 1½ in)
- Height: 4.47 m (14 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 24.57 m² (264.5 sq ft)
- Max cruising speed at 12,495 m (41,000 ft): 845 km/h (525 mph)
- Time to 12,495 m (41,000 ft): 24 minutes
- Max range with four passengers, 45 mins reserves at 12,495 m (41,000 ft) cruising at 765 km/h (475 mph): 4,010 km (2,492 miles)
- Empty weight: 5,501 kg (12,130 lb)
- Loaded weight: 8,845 kg (19,500 lb)
History:
The Longhorn 55 was a development of the former Learjet series, being a mating of the wing used on the Series 28 and 29 with a newly designed fuselage possessing a 50% greater cross section. The first of two prototypes of the new Model 55 was flown for the first time on 19 April 1979, the first production aircraft flying on 11 August 1980. After certification, deliveries of production aircraft began in August 1981, and the first of the type appearing on the Australian register VH-LGH was delivered to Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd in Western Australia on 28 June 1982.
The Longhorn has a flight crew of two and the main cabin could be fitted out to seat up to a maximum of 11 passengers. In 1983 the name Longhorn was dropped and the aircraft became known as the Gates Learjet Model 55, series models becoming known as the 55ER (extended range), 55LR (long-range) and 55XLF (extra long-range), the latter having a cabin tank extending the range to 5,375 km (3,340 miles), the other two models trading baggage capacity for fuel. As mentioned, one example of the Model 55 has been registered in Australia, becoming VH-LGH (c/n 048) on 28 June 1982 and operating in Western Australia until it was exported to the United States as N73TP on 23 January 1984.