Bombardier says it is delighted with the response it has received at EBACE for its Learjet 85, and the next available delivery position is already backed up to the third quarter of 2015.
Execujet is the first customer to firm up its LoI. The cost for that delivery placement is a base figure of $20.5m in 2015 prices.
Bombardier has also released projected figures and some specifications about the new design. David Coleal, vice president and general manager of the Learjet 85, says: “This aircraft is what our customers have told us they want.” Bombardier has held customer steering groups this year to decide on issues, including a floorplan layout and interior styling session; maintainability and the layout and ergonomics of the cockpit as well as situational awareness and aircraft performance.
The programme has also entered the joint definition phase which is where the design will start to become frozen. “The aerodynamics have been fully tested so in that respect it is probably frozen. But this is the part where we harmonise the interface,” says Coleal.
“The 85 is 42% bigger than the 60 XR and fits in nicely between the 60XR and the Challenger 300,” he says. The cabin will offer an eight-plus-two optional seating layout and a height of 1.803m, width at the cabin centreline of 1.854m and a cabin length of 7.54m. The initial club seating arrangement will give a 762mm (30in) space between seats.
The Learjet 85 will have a high-speed cruise (HSC) of 470kt and long-range cruise speed (LRC) of 448kt. When loaded with four passengers and two crew it will be able to achieve 3,000nm (5,556km) NBAA IFR range. Time to climb to FL410 will be less than 18min at MTOW at sea level and ISA conditions. The maximum cruise altitude will be 49,000ft.
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Source: Flight Daily News
