Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Bombardier has received European Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) approval for the Learjet 45, clearing another obstacle to deliveries of the all-new light business jet.
The JAA letter of recommendation is expected to result in type certificates from most of the agency's 25 member states "within the next few weeks", says the Canadian company. The first European delivery - to an Austrian customer - is scheduled for this summer.
The European JAR 25 approval follows US Federal Aviation Administration FAR 25 certification last September. Customer deliveries were delayed, however, until Bombardier had gained approval for flight into known icing. This was obtained in May.
Modifications to aircraft already built are now under way, and the company expects to deliver six by the end of July and 35-40 by the end of its financial year on 31 January, 1999. Deliveries of the Learjet 45 are about a year behind schedule, admits Bombardier.
Some certification work remains. Approval to use the thrust reversers on the AlliedSignal TFE731-20 engines is expected this month and certification of the optional auxiliary power unit is planned for September. Work on type approvals from other countries is also under way, with Brazilian certification due later this year.
Bombardier is gearing up for production of five aircraft a month at its Learjet plant in Wichita, Kansas. The company, which holds orders for more than 150 Learjet 45s, is targeting delivery of 60 aircraft in its next financial year.
Production of the Learjet 31A is being stepped up to more than two a month in 1999 because of strong demand for the entry-level aircraft from Bombardier's FlexJet fractional ownership programme. The Learjet 60 mid-size business jet is also being produced at a rate of just over two a month.
About 25% of Learjet 31A and 60 sales are now to FlexJet, which holds 40 firm orders for Learjet 45s, says the company.
Source: Flight International
