Learjet 60 and Beechjet 400A

[rubengonz]

Hi, I would like to get information about these aircrafts, maybe we are changing to one of them, but I need references. How are they flying, maintenance, do they give many problems?... you know...

Thank you!!!...

[CPTVOR]

Been on the 60 a couple of years and its a great plane, mind you, its all Ive flown so Im biased and unable to comment on other types! It climbs like a rocket, FL410 in 14 mins at MTOM, approx 0.78 cruise etc but its downsides are the wing and brakes which mean high approach speeds and long required landing distances. Avionics are great, nose wheel steering has been known to cause grief and the APU can give occasional problems. The GPU hole/socket can also give probs with european GPU sockets unable to fit without some serious pushing or taking apart. Luggage space is sufficiant, once you get used to how to get large suitcases into small holes and the galley has everything you need. Im sure one of the Netjet guys can give you the heads up on the 400.

[smallfry]

FL410 in 14 mins at MTOW? Are you sure?

[Capt Crash]

The 400 is small, noisey you have to use a fuel additive when refuelling.

However:

The 400 is fast, 0.78.

Perf is ok eg now London City certified.

The Prist thing is coming to an end soon they say.

Nice cockpit and flies like a large aircraft.

The pax seem to like it!

CC

[JoeCo]

I'd agree with CPTVOR. FL410 in 14 min might be a best case scenario, but it will not be off by much. It does climb like a rocket and will out climb a 400 any day. However you will never see it much above 410. Baggage compartment is the pits!! Your best bet is to educate your passengers on the limitations of the baggage space and to instruct that more smaller softer bags is better then larger hard cases. The wing is inadequate for the plane hence the high appr. speeds and hence longer runways. Although I have never flown the 400, I'd be surprised if it didn't beat the 60 in that department but wouldn't a better/closer comparison to the 60 be a 800XP? The 60 will still blow the doors of the 800XP in climb and cruise, but I'd suspect that it still could get into and out of shorter fields then the 60.

[rubengonz]

Thank´s for the information

And Learjet 60 vs Hawker 800XP?

[NZLeardriver]

And Learjet 60 vs Hawker 800XP

Well what are you looking for? What are your requirements?

[westhawk]

The cabin in the 800XP is a fair amount larger than the Lear 60. Baggage is a bit of a problem at times since all of it must go up the airstair and into the fwd baggage area across from the door. Stacking big bags in there is an art! Judging by the steamer trunks they bring, pax seem to think it is a Boeing. There's a small aft cabin closet that has sufficient space for crew bags. Garrett APU is fabulous. Lots of air and certified for airborne use. Auto cabin temp and cockpit air controls are very good.

The big fat wing and direct cable driven flight controls give the XP very predictable handling at all speeds for easy handflying. Max ldg wt is allmost 7,000 lbs higher than typical BOWs, so you can tanker lots of cheaper fuel on those short repo hops and quick turns. The lift dump and very effective reversers mean that you rarely need to even get the brakes warm. Part 135 factored wet rwy no wind ldg distance at typical landing wieghts w/5 pax is 4,500' at SL. Dry about 3,900'. Takeoff from SL @ 20 deg C with full fuel (10,000 lb.) and 5 pax + bags leaves it about 400 lbs under max ramp wt and requires less than 5,000' TOD, no wind. 6,000' required at 35 C. Initial max cruise altitude at ISA is FL390. FL370 @ISA + 10. When 2-3 hours into the flight, you can make FL410, the max authorized alt. for US XPs. In cooler air or at lighter wieghts, it climbs very well. It likes to do 440 KTAS at normal cruise. Good for 2,000 NM ESAD with comfortable reserves. Mmo is .80, but it is best to keep it back to .77 or .78 to stay off the mach trim and speed warning in the Honeywell SPZ Hawker. LRC is 400 KTAS and step climbs to 410 will cover 2,500 NM ESAD in 6 1/2 hours with minimum IFR reserves, no alternate. This just makes New York to Los Angeles with a 45 Knots avg headwind component. Possible about 3-4 months out of the year.

Overall, it is a fine airplane to fly and I sort of miss it. Maybe another 800XP will present itself to me in the future. I wouldn't mind a bit. I'd like to try the Collins Pro-line 21 Hawker. Allways fun to learn a new system.

The company I work for now has '60s, but I know little about them. Perhaps a '60 driver could post some performance specs for comparison.

Best regards,

Westhawk

[rubengonz]

We will fly most of the time for the investor and less for other people. The kind of flights are all Europe, and maybe anytime to USA and ASIA.

We were looking information about typical problems of the aircrafts, personal opinions as pilots that have flown one or the other, comments, you know...

Thank you for all the information....