Lear Fan 2000

[First time Juke]

Just saw the document on SWISSAIR flight 111. On that film I saw a glance at the Atlantic City ( FAA ? ) testcenter surroundings. I was amazed to see the Lear Fan on a their lawn there..looked a lot racier than in the pics in the magazines from the eighties. Were there many variations of that revolutionary aircraft ?

[Randy Haskin]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Are you talking about the NASA :cword:-test facility at Langley AFB? They have a Lear Fan fuselage that they tested which is sitting on their own little version of "celebrity row" there.

The actual Lear Fan prototype is in the Museum of Flight collection in Seattle, Washington.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Are you talking about the NASA :cword: -test facility at Langley AFB? They have a Lear Fan fuselage that they tested which is sitting on their own little version of "celebrity row" there.

The actual Lear Fan prototype is in the Museum of Flight collection in Seattle, Washington.

I'm about 90% certain that the EAA has one at Oshkosh also. I'd swear I remember seeing one sitting in the green areas off the field somewhere, last time I was there..

Wayne

[rpzo]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Is this the plane you are talking about? This was taken in 1982.

Rick

[First time Juke]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Well it was not that one..the one over in Atlantic City had a shorter fuselage..and did not have that nosetube...maybe it is the first model in Atlantic City. There were at least three prototypes...some mods were incorporated after the initial model.
I cannot be 100 % sure because I cannot memorize the register number on it.
The document is pretty new...the reason for that MD-11 :cword: was the electrical entertainment wiring and some kinda shortcut in it. All MD-11:s were checked and new laws passed onto aviation safety ( materials banned and so forth ).

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Well it was not that one..the one over in Atlantic City had a shorter fuselage..and did not have that nosetube...maybe it is the first model in Atlantic City. There were at least three prototypes...some mods were incorporated after the initial model

Juke, if I'm not mistaken, the "nose tube" would be for flight testing. I think that it's common to have an extended measurement tube of some sort.. Can't remember if that's for airspeed or what but I do remember seeing that sort of thing on a lot of prototypes.

I'll dig around and see if I took a shot of the LearFan that I *think* I saw at Oshkosh.

Wayne

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

**Update** Google is just the most amazing search engine ever!

Found this link it talks about the "fate" of the one that I *did* see at Osh...

Do a search on google with the keyword learfan then expand on that a bit and you'll likely find what you're looking for..

Wayne

[Peashooter]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Here's a link re: NASA testing: http://www.aerospace.nasa.gov/librar.../goal1.1-5.htm

[BadIdea]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

I've seen one stored in Oshkosh and one hanging in Washington.

Q:
What air race pilot flew the Learfan?

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

Q:
What air race pilot flew the Learfan?

Oh... that's too easy and I should probably keep my trap shut but... I know this is how he got his start in the sport, I mean, being out there with the Lear...

None other than .... Mr... John RARE BEAR Penney!!!



John is not only a super pilot, he's a great guy and from what I can tell.... a wonderful Dad!

He's got a couple of really great "kids"... one of whom, we may eventually see more of.. but I must bite my lip...

Wayne

[Unregistered]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

I have heard several "reasons" as to why the Learfan did not go into production.

Anyone know the real reason why the Learfan never made it to production?

Thank you,
Reever

[First time Juke]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

1. The props were all damaged by the grawel and water...?
2. It would have outpassed all jets..that would have been embarassing.
3. They were too cheap and economical to use..it would have put a lot of people outa work.
4. The last bearing at the propellor were too difficult to lubricate and vibrationrisk there was too great ?
5. They ran outa money before all 500 plane's options were spent and were unable to get a certificate to fly'em ?
6. Recovery from a spin was too easy ( just reverse and level it ).

Tell us why ?!

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

I wish I still had my photos of Reno '82. I recall one day they had 2 Lear Fans fly by in formation (one trailing the other). The pic of the flyby was somewhat grey, as there was mucho overcast and haze that year...

NOTE: The Oshkosh Lear is moving to a new home....Click this link for pictures and information:

http://www.craigcraigcraig.com/ARareBird.html

[Leo]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

I wish I had CATALOGUED all those photos. I remember the pass and have a slide somewhere in that big box....
Back then it seemed that they were always flying, and we took it for granted thinking soon there would be so many it would be boring. I actually snapped quite a few shots as practice as I shot anything that moved back then.


Leo

[Unregistered]

Re: Lear Fan 2000

I wish I still had my photos of Reno '82. I recall one day they had 2 Lear Fans fly by in formation (one trailing the other). The pic of the flyby was somewhat grey, as there was mucho overcast and haze that year...

Yeah, I have a black & white photo of that fly-by too. What a horrible, horrible day. Cold, wet, rainy. Just ask Hacker...he caught pneumonia huddling under those garbage bags. But the fly-by was early in the morning, before the show started.

Speeddemon