Bombardier has shipped the first set of completed wings for the Learjet 85 to the final assembly plant in Wichita, Kansas.
The completed wings for the first flight test vehicle (FTV-1), which includes components delivered from Bombardier's Belfast factory, can now be mated to the forward and aft fuselage sections in Wichita.
Ralph Acs, vice president and general manager of Learjet, says the arrival of the first wings shows the Learjet 85 programme is "gaining ever more momentum as we tirelessly work towards first flight and the first customer delivery".
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The forward fuselage for FTV-2, meanwhile, has completed its integrity inspection at Bombardier's factory in Queretaro, Mexico. The step clears the way for the installation of the final pieces, including the nose, bulkheads, floor, windshield and door surround. The structure will be then shipped to Wichita, where it will be mated to the aft fuselage and eventually the wings.
Bombardier also plans to ship the wings for the complete aircraft static test (CAST) article by the end of November.
Learjet has aimed the eight-passenger jet at the top of the mid-size segment, with a design range of 5,556km (3,000nm) and speeds up to 470kt (870km/h). Bombardier plans to deliver the first Learjet 85 in 2013.
Source: Flight International
