Learjet 23

Recognizing the potential of the Swiss-designed single-engine ground-attack FFA P-16 fighter jet, William (Bill) Powell Lear, Sr. established Swiss American Aviation Corporation (SAAC) to produce a two-engined passenger version: the SAAC-23 Execujet. The company moved to Wichita, Kansas and was renamed Lear Jet Corporation. Production began on the first Model 23 Lear Jet on 7 February 1962. The first flight took place on 7 October 1963 with test pilots Hank Beaird and Bob Hagen.{{Cite magazine |date=December 1993 |title=Lear Celebrates 30 |magazine=Flying |page=38 |volume=120 |issue=12 |issn=0015-4806}} On 4 June 1964, the prototype crashed soon after takeoff, when the pilot inadvertently deployed the wing spoilers while demonstrating an engine failure on takeoff.{{Cite web |title=ASN Aircraft Accident Learjet 23 |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19640604-0 |access-date=7 October 2020 |website=Flight Safety Foundation}} Eventually determined to be pilot error, this mishap did not deter the Federal Aviation Agency (later the Federal Aviation Administration) from awarding the Lear Jet 23 its type certificate on 31 July 1964. On 13 October 1964, the first production aircraft was delivered.

Production ended in 1966 after one hundred and one aircraft had been delivered. In 1998, thirty nine Model 23s were estimated to remain in use. Twenty seven are known to have been lost or damaged beyond repair through accidents, the most recent being in 2008.[http://aviation-safety.net/database/type/type.php?type=LJ-23 Aviation Safety Network: Learjet 23]

In 2013, the FAA modified 14 CFR part 91 rules to prohibit the operation of jets weighing 75,000 pounds or less that are not stage 3 noise compliant after 31 December 2015. The Learjet 23 is listed explicitly in Federal Register [http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/FR-2013-07-02/2013-15843/content-detail.html 78 FR 39576]. Any Learjet 23s that have not been modified by installing Stage 3 noise compliant engines or have not had "hushkits" installed for non-compliant engines will not be permitted to fly in the contiguous 48 states after 31 December 2015. 14 CFR § 91.883 Special flight authorizations for jet airplanes weighing 75,000 pounds or less – lists special flight authorizations that may be granted for operation after 31 December 2015.

File:NASA 701 Learjet 23 chase aircraft.jpg Learjet 23 chase aircraft]]

• N802L – Model 23 on static display at the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia.{{Cite web |date=18 March 2016 |title=Lear Jet 23 |url=https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lear-jet-23 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}{{Cite web |title=Learjet 23/24 production list |url=http://rzjets.net/aircraft/?typeid=264 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=rzjets |publisher=rzjets.net}}
• N505PF – Model 23 on static display at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas.{{Cite web |date=11 June 2014 |title=Learjet Model 23 |url=http://kansasaviationmuseum.org/visit/aircraft/learjet-model-23 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=Kansas Aviation Museum}}
• N20EP – on display outside White Industries, Bates City, Missouri.{{Cite web |title=Bates City |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bates+City,+MO+64011/@39.0118677,-94.0916424,506m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x87c113534545eb93:0x27397fa96412fa5e!8m2!3d39.0061187!4d-94.072446 |access-date=16 February 2021 |website=Bates City |language=en}}
• N23BY – Model 23 on display at the Arkansas Air & Military Museum in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This airframe was flown by Bobby Younkin in air shows.{{Cite news |last=Mathews |first=Kay |date=4 February 2011 |title=Since 1986 aviation history flies high at the Arkansas Air Museum |url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/303298 |access-date=8 November 2016 |work=Digital Journal |publisher=digitaljournal.com}}{{Cite web |title=Aircraft N23BY Data |url=http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N23BY.html |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=Airport-Data.com }}
• N154AG – Model 23 on static display at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.{{Cite web |title=Learjet 23 |url=http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/learjet-23 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=The Museum of Flight }}
• N73CE – Model 23 on display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.{{Cite web |title=Airframe Dossier – Swiss American Aviation CorporationLearjet, c/n 23-068, c/r N73CE |url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=93300 |access-date=8 November 2016 |website=Aerial Visuals |publisher=AerialVisuals.ca}}
• N824LJ – Model 23 on static display at the Air Zoo in Portage, Michigan.{{Cite web |title=Airframe Dossier – Swiss American Aviation Corporation 23 Lear Jet, c/n 23-083, c/r N824LJ |url=http://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=10376 |access-date=30 July 2018 |website=Aerial Visuals |publisher=AerialVisuals.ca}}
• N88B – Model 23 on static display at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.{{Cite web |title=Learjet 23 |url=https://pimaair.org/visit/museum-aircraft/learjet/model-23/ |access-date=20 December 2019 |website=Pima Air and Space Museum }}
• N119BA – Model 23 on static display at the Valiant Air Command Museum in Titusville, Florida. This airframe was flown by Buzz Aldrin.{{Cite web |title=LearJet 23 |url=https://www.valiantaircommand.com/portfolio-collections/modern-era/learjet23 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Valiant Air Command |language=en}}

;{{USA}}

• NASA
• Executive Jet Aviation

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–1966. London:Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1965. pp. 252–253.

|prime units?=imp

|crew=Two pilots

|capacity=6 passengers

|length m=13.18

|span m=10.84

|height m=3.84

|wing area sqm=21.48

|airfoil=

|empty weight lb=6,150

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|max takeoff weight lb=12,499

|fuel capacity=

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|eng1 number=2

|eng1 name=General Electric CJ610-4

|eng1 type=turbojet engines

|eng1 lbf=2,850

|max speed mph=561

|max speed note=at {{convert|24000|ft|abbr=on}}

|max speed mach=0.82

|cruise speed mph=518

|cruise speed note=at {{convert|40000|ft|abbr=on}}

|stall speed mph=104

|stall speed note= wheels and flaps down

|minimum control speed kmh=

|minimum control speed mph=

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|range miles=1830

|range note=max fuel at {{convert|485|mph|km/h kn|abbr=on}} and {{convert|40000|ft|abbr=on}}

|combat range km=

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|ceiling ft=45000

|climb rate ftmin=6900

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{{aircontent|

|related=

• Rogers P-51R, a custom-built racing aircraft with the wings and horizontal stabilizer of a Learjet 23

|similar aircraft=

|lists=

• List of aircraft

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Learjet 23}}

• [http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=264 A history of the Learjet 23-29 series on Airliners.net]
• [https://archive.org/details/Aviation_Week_1963-09-16/page/n44 Lear Jet Prototype Nears October Flight Date – Aviation Week & Space Technology]
• [https://archives.museumofflight.org/repositories/2/resources/63 The William P. and Moya Olsen Lear Papers] at The Museum of Flight (Seattle, Wash.)

{{Learjet}}

23

Category:1960s United States business aircraft

Category:Twinjets

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1963

Category:Low-wing aircraft

Category:T-tail aircraft

Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear