Learjet to end production

[rigpiggy]

End of an Era..... https://aviationweek.com/business-aviat ... 0005541545

IOW Bombardier did what bombardier does, fails to innovate, and ignores their customer base. How much did Canada(trudeau)give them for this debacle.

[schnitzel2k3]

Painful. They had the Learjet 85, which I thought was going to fit a wide segment of the bizav market and they just let it die.

Like you said rig, failure to innovate is mostly to blame, other than their top of the line Global, and even then it was copy and paste. Challenger 600 series are going on, what 50 years?

*le sigh*

Disappointed.

[whistlerboy02]

People don’t want to drive in small cars and people don’t want to fly in small cabins. Now you can have a mid to large cabin with equal or better performance than a Lear.

[TrilliumFlt]

The Lear brand is an American icon only, I'm very happy to see them "focus" on the Global and Challenger product.

[Mostly Harmless]

Well, damn. Now what am I going to use to fly up to Nova Scotia to watch a total eclipse of the sun?

[CL-Skadoo!]

Well, damn. Now what am I going to use to fly up to Nova Scotia to watch a total eclipse of the sun?

You probably think that song is about YOU.

[schnitzel2k3]

Well, damn. Now what am I going to use to fly up to Nova Scotia to watch a total eclipse of the sun?

You probably think that song is about YOU.

Don't you, don't you....

Anyways, Bombardier dumping Learjet, sure it's an American vessel that really doesn't have any Canadian heritage, but Bombardier invested in a great *near* flat floor mid jet in the 85, that would've given Embraer and Cessna a run for their money. Probably rivaled their Challenger 300/350 sales too much as it had an .82 MMO (.79 LRC), 2600-3000nm range and FL490 ceiling - with Lear operating costs...

On top of that it just goes to show it doesn't matter what product they are creating, the innovation isn't there, and if it is just sell it after getting a massive Canadian grant killing the jobs the public was trying to save (not the case with Learjet, as the bulk of those jobs weren't Canadian) - but case in point in the C series, errr I mean A220.

I think had they focused on developing a newer Learjet (they had a flying version of the 85), they could've had market in the small cabin, midsize, super mid, large and ultra long markets - imagine a C Series business jet as well....

I feel like it's only a matter of time before the Challenger line is on the chopping block - after they receive Fed support for threatening job loss. Then goes the Globals in the next proper recession....

It's a sign of things to come.

[telex]

You're so vain...

Is it possible the product life cycle has expired?

What innovations could have improved it?

[Mostly Harmless]

Well, damn. Now what am I going to use to fly up to Nova Scotia to watch a total eclipse of the sun?

You probably think that song is about YOU.

Isn't it?

[schnitzel2k3]

You're so vain...

Is it possible the product life cycle has expired?

What innovations could have improved it?

Well I don't mean to keep going back to the 85, but it had a full composite fuselage, one of the first on a midsized jet. Essentially it looked like a PC24 before the PC24, but with better specs (just lacking single pilot and off strip). Global 6000 avionics suite. I thought it had some potential to be a great special mission bird, along with a jack of all trades business jet. Flexjet had a reasonable order for them to complement their fleet. It looked like it was in great shape to hold down the mid market.

The Challenger 600 lineup needs to get re-engined. Something from the 21st century, perhaps also looking at getting some better winglets on there.

The problem with Learjet is Bombardier is not the right manufacturer to own that brand because there is a performance ceiling the Learjet cannot penatrate within the company without stepping on toes. What they needed to do from the start was certify these jets for a little more speed - again likely would've interfered with the sales of the Challenger line.

It's a shame the brand line fell apart due to mismanagement.

It sounds crazy but I think with the right investment, brand management, and continued product development if one were to buy Learjet, it could give Embraer, Textron and Pilatus a run for their money.

[Gino Under]

Ending Learjet production is at least 10 years overdue.
Lear should never have been bought by Bombardier in the first place.
It was never truly a Bombardier product in the same way the C Series will never truly be an Airbus product. How long the A220 remains in the Airbus product line will likely depend on the A220s threat to other Airbus products now that the A318 is no longer in production. You keep the competition between in-house products to a minimum or non-existent. I doubt the A220 will be anything but successful under the Airbus marketing and sales team but like all models will have a shelf life of its own, just as the Learjet did.

The reality here was the Learjet directly competed with other Bombardier products and one, or two of those products needed to go. The Learjet was simply the best and obvious choice. What helped to kill the C Series program was the simple fact Bombardier had too many products in development at the same time and the cost management across multiple programs veered away out of control. That’s on Bombardier.

Killing the Learjet, finally, is a responsible decision on the part of that management. Better late than never..

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news ... ic-era?amp

Gino Under