Photograph:
Learjet 60 VH-EXJ (c/n 273) at Avalon, VIC in March 2011 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Business and executive jet
Power Plant:
Two 4,600 lbst Pratt & Whitney Canada PW 305A turbofans flat rated
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 13.34 m (43 ft 9 in)
- Length: 17.89 m (58 ft 8¼ in)
- Height: 4.44 m (14 ft 6¾ in)
- Wing area: 24.57 m² (264.5 sq ft)
- Max operating speed: 555 km/h (345 mph)
- Max speed at 6,096 m (20,000 ft): 629 km/h (391 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 863 km/h (536 mph)
- Economical cruising speed: 782 km/h (486 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps and gear down: 197 km/h (122 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 1,371 m/min (4,500 ft/min)
- Max certified altitude: 15,545 m (51,000 ft)
- Service ceiling: 7,195 m (23,600 ft)
- Range with crew of two and four passengers: 4,972 km (3,089 miles)
- Empty weight: 6,364 kg (14,040 lb)
- Max payload: 1,070 kg (2,3600 lb)
Loaded weight: 10,659 kg (23,500 lb)
History:
The Learjet 60 was announced on 3 October 1990 as the successor to the Learjet 55C, the first proof-of-concept aircraft flying with a Pratt & Whitney PW 305 turbofan on 18 October 1990, flying with two PW 305s in May 1992. The first production machine (N601LJ) flew on 15 June 1992, certification being received on 15 January 1993 and delivery of production machines commenced, with 265 examples delivered by June 2003. The Model 60 was generally similar to the other Learjets in the range but was the largest. The Model 60 has a crew of two and up to 10 passengers could be accommodated in a gross pressure cabin of 15.57 m³ (550 cub ft) in volume.
A number of Learjet 60s have been noted visiting Australia in recent years. A number of Learjet 60s have been registered in Australia: VH-MZL (c/n 270) registered on 27 January 2004 to Sydney Jet Charter of Georges Hall, NSW, and operated by David Lowy for a period before being exported to Argentina as LV-BDX; and VH-OCV (c/n 273) registered on 27 May 2004 to Execujet Australia of Mascot and owned by Macquarie Goodman Ltd, but exported to the Philippines in October 2005. Further examples have been registered, including VH-XPN (c/n 60-290 – ex N548WC, PP-BIN, N60FZ, D-CFLG, N260DB, N5012K) owned by Norris Aviation Pty Ltd of Nundah, QLD and operated by Avcair Pty Ltd, and VH-ILJ² (c/n 60-031 – ex N841TP, N841TT, N228N, N4031L) operated by Avcair of Lake Cathie, NSW on 15 November 2018.
First of the type registered in New Zealand became ZK-JAK³ (c/n 60-382 – ex M-IGHT) this being a Model 60XR registered to Jak Air of Rotorua in 2015 which was obtained to replace a Cessna 510 Mustang ZK-JAK² (c/n 510-0347) which had been first registered in September 2010.