Bombardier Learjet 45

The Bombardier Lear Jet 45 is a twin-engine executive jet aircraft for up to 10 passengers. William P. Lear, Sr. initiated in 1959 the development of the Lear Jet a small jet aircraft, based on the known structural quality of a Swiss strike-fighter, the FFA P.16.

Nine months after work on the project had begun by Lear Jet Industries, the first prototype of this business transport, N801L, flew on 7 October 1963, from Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport. The original Learjet was destroyed in June 1964 when it crashed at takeoff with a Federal Aviation Administration pilot at the controls. The cause of the accident was determined to be pilot error—retraction of the jet’s lift spoilers was overlooked. However, the second prototype and first production Learjet Model 23, N802L, flew first on 5 March 1964 and received formal FAA certification on 31 July 1964.

As the private jet market became more competitive, Lear Jet had difficulties remaining profitable and substantial operating losses accumulated over the first few years of production. In 1967, the company was sold to Gates Rubber Company of Denver, Colorado, and renamed the Gates Learjet Corporation. Gates Learjet produced the Learjet line until 1987 and since 1990, the jets have been produced by the Canadian corporation Bombardier under the name of Learjet, Inc. Developments out of the basic Learjet Model 23 which entered production with Lear Jet Industries and or Gates Learjet corporation were the Models 24, 25, 25D, 28, 29, 31, 35 and 36. When Bombardier took over the Lear Jet production the Models 31, 35, 36 and derivates of these Models remained in production. In 1992 Bombardier Aerospace owned Learjet Inc. started development of the Model 45. Five aircraft were assigned to the test program and the Model 45 prototype N45XL flew first on 7 October 1995; 32 years after the Learjet Model 23 prototype. US FAA certification (with many restrictions) was granted on 22 September 1997. Final approval followed on 6 May 1998. The first customer aircraft was delivered in January 1998.