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The Gates Learjet 35A is a twin-engine executive jet aircraft for up to
six 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. The Lear Jet Model
accommodated two crewmembers and five passengers in its basic executive
model. This Lear Jet Model 23 Continentals was the first small jet
aircraft to enter mass production. Originally the Lear Jet had to be
assembled by the Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke FFA AG in Altenrhein,
Switzerland, from components manufactured there, in the U.S.A., Japan
and elsewhere. Problems with suppliers and production tooling in
Switzerland the European assembly plans having been abandoned in 1962.
Lear compelled to shift assembly of the new aircraft to Wichita, Kansas,
U.S.A. 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. The first delivery of
a Learjet Model 23 was to Chemical and Industrial Corporation of
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA was on 13 October 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. The Learjet
35 is a stretched, turbofan powered development of the initial Learjet
models, the 23, 24 and 25. The Model 35A is an upgraded Model 35 with
TFE731-2-2B engines and a range of 2,789 miles, with a fuel capacity of
3,524 ltrL with refueling accomplished at ground level through each wingtip tank.
It was introduced in 1976, replacing the 35. Over 600 35As were built, with a production
line that ended with serial number 677, in 1993. The Learjet 35A
accommodates a flight crew of two and main cabin seating for six passengers in a corporate
configuration at a max. cruise speed of Mach 0.81/852 km/h.
The economical cruise speed of the Learjet 35A is 774 km/h. 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.
The ICAO
Aircraft Type Designator for the Gates LearJet 35A is LJ35 |
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On 2 July 1978, the 1978-built LearJet 35A s/n 35A-175 was registered D-CDWN with Diehl-Werke KG. In June 1993, LearJet 35A D-CDWN was transferred to Aero-Dienst.
On 23 April 1999, the D-CDWN was registered with ADAC Luftrettung. On 4 March 2002, the Learjet 35A was registered SE-RCA in Sweden with SAAB Nyge Aero. On 14 July 2008,
SAAB AB was registered as owner of Learjet 35A SE-RCA.
On 5 November 2024, during the WIC exercise, the SAAB Nyge Aero' Gates LearJet 35A SE-RCA was seen at Leeuwarden AB (EHLW/LWR). |
