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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0725.PDF
Cover story Bombardier puts the extra screen to good use, displaying a full engine indicating and crew alert system (EICAS) as well as system synoptic pages. Two LCD radio manage ment units (RMU) control dual naviga tion/communication radios, and act as back-up navigation and EICAS displays. The aircraft comes standard with a single pedestal mounted Universal UNS-1E flight management system (FMS) with embedded GPS receiver. A second FMS is optional, but was not installed in the demonstration aircraft. Rounding out the avionics package are two features to im prove safety: a Honeywell enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) and a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS). US certification of the Learjet 40 was achieved in July 2003, with the first produc tion aircraft entering into service with Bombardier's Flexjet fractional-ownership programme in January. Flight International was invited to fly Bombardier's smallest Learjet at its Wichita, Kansas production and flight-test facility. For the flight, I was accompanied by Learjet demonstration pilot Rodney Lundy. While I followed Lundy through the pre-flight inspection, Learjet demonstration pilot Owen Zahnle, observer for the flight, programmed the flight route into the FMS. All required inspection points are readily accessible from ramp level, and the door for the 1.42m3 (50ft3)-capacity heated baggage compart ment in the tailcone is at chest level, allow ing easy loading of heavier items. View forward Entry to the cabin is via a manual split clamshell door with integral boarding steps. The cockpit is separated from the cabin by a fabric curtain. There is no cock pit space for a traditional flight bag, but there is ample storage space for flight publi cations behind the captain's seat. I used the windscreen centre-pillar alignment balls to manually adjust the left seat to the correct position. Field of view through the four for ward windows was good, my seated posi tion allowing me to see the outboard half of the wing. The large winglets, in addition to reducing drag, provided a ready refer ence of wingtip clearance when taxiing in congested areas. While the engines can be started on battery power alone, an external power cart was hooked up to power the optional vapour-cycle air conditioner. While the Learjet 45 is available with an optional auxiliary power unit, there are no provisions for one in the Learjet 40. Both engines were started using the external cart. The DEEC-controlled start brought each engine to idle in less than 40s. Peak inter- turbine temperature on both engines was 680^, well below the limit of 916SC. While Lundy used a paper checklist to The shortened cabin seats six, with room for a seventh passenger in the optional belted aft lavatory 58 18-24 MAY 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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