The Learjet 28 is an American eight-to-ten-seat (two crew and six to eight passengers), twin-engine, high-speed
business jet
A business jet, private jet, or bizjet is a jet aircraft designed for transporting small groups of people, typically business executives and high-ranking coworker, associates. Business jets are generally designed for faster air travel and more ...
, intended to be the successor to the
Learjet 25
The Learjet 25 is an American ten-seat (two crew and eight passengers), twin-engine, high-speed business jet aircraft manufactured by Learjet. It is a stretched version of the Learjet 24.
Development
The first Model 25 flew on August 12, 19 ...
. The Learjet 29 is identical except for the addition of a long-range fuel tank, resulting in the reduction of the capacity to six (two crew and four passengers). Both were manufactured by
Learjet
Learjet was a manufacturer of business jets for civilian and military use based in Wichita, Kansas, United States. Founded in the late 1950s by William Powell Lear as Swiss American Aviation Corporation, it became a subsidiary of Canadian Bomba ...
and were marketed under the Longhorn name.
[A history of the LJ23-LJ29 series on Airliners.net](_blank)
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History
The first flight of the Learjet 28 took place on August 24, 1977. The Learjet 28/29 was based on the Learjet 25
The Learjet 25 is an American ten-seat (two crew and eight passengers), twin-engine, high-speed business jet aircraft manufactured by Learjet. It is a stretched version of the Learjet 24.
Development
The first Model 25 flew on August 12, 19 ...
, and received a completely new wing fitted with winglets which resulted in improved performance and fuel economy. The new wing was designed for the Learjet 55
The Learjet 55 "Longhorn" is an American business jet manufactured by Learjet.
Development and design
The Learjet 50 series was first announced at the 1977 Paris Air Show with larger cabins than existing Learjets. The series was to have three va ...
, and the Learjet 28 was originally planned to be a testbed for the wing, not a production type, but after the prototypes demonstrated excellent climb performance and the ability to operate at (the first business jet to do so), it was decided to offer the Learjet 28 and 29 as production aircraft. FAA certification was awarded to both the Learjet 28 and 29 on January 30, 1979.[Griffiths ''Air-Britain Aviation World'' Autumn 2022, p. 189.]
The Learjet 28/29 was the first production jet aircraft to utilize winglets[Reynolds's The Learjet “Longhorn” Series—The First Jets With Winglets] (entering service in 1977).
Both models were commercially unsuccessful, showing reduced range compared to the Learjet 31, as the addition of winglets required the deletion of the earlier model's wingtip tanks, and they sold mainly to customers with a requirement for good altitude performance. Only five production Learjet 28s, and four Learjet 29s, were constructed before production ceased in August 1982.[Taylor 1982, p. 367] Both types were subsequently replaced by the Learjet 31
The Learjet 31 is an American built twin-engined, high speed business jet. Manufactured by Learjet, a subsidiary of Bombardier Aerospace, as the successor to the Learjet 29, it has a capacity of eight passengers and two crew.
Design and develo ...
.
The first production aircraft was used by Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...
to set five aerospace records.
Noise compliance
In 2013, the FAA modified 14 CFR part 91 rules to prohibit the operation of jets weighing 75,000 pounds or less that are not stage 3 noise compliant after December 31, 2015. The Learjet 28 is listed explicitly in Federal Registe
78 FR 39576
Any Learjet 28s that have not been modified by installing Stage 3 noise compliant engines or have not had "hushkits" installed for non-compliant engines will not be permitted to fly in the contiguous 48 states after December 31, 2015. ''14 CFR §91.883 Special flight authorizations for jet airplanes weighing 75,000 pounds or less'' – lists special flight authorizations that may be granted for operation after December 31, 2015.
Specifications (Learjet 28)
See also
References
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External links
A history of the LJ23-LJ29 series on Airliners.net
{{Learjet
28 29
1970s United States business aircraft
Twinjets
Low-wing aircraft
T-tail aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1977
Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear