What is the best replacement for an elderly Lear Jet special mission aircraft? Another Lear Jet, believes Bombardier.
"The Lear Jet is the most missionised aircraft in the world," says Derek Gilmour, Bombardier's vice-president, government and special mission aircraft sales, citing the 28/29 and 35/36 models. "All over the world, I meet special mission operators who say: 'When's the replacement to the Lear Jet coming along?'"
Sitting in the static park at the show is a Lear Jet 60 with a suitably anonymous grey sensor pod displayed in front of it. The pod is significant. While Lear 60 special mission variants have been in service for some time - the US FAA uses several for flight inspection work, for example - they have carried their payloads internally. Bombardier has now decided to make greater use of one of the aircraft's great virtues, its wing.
The eight-spar wing - at its heart, the same design penned by Bill Lear more than 40 years ago - is extremely strong and more than capable of carrying external stores, as earlier variants have shown, says Gilmour. The Lear 60 is now following in its footsteps and future examples will use the aircraft's wing hardpoints. Potential underwing stores will include jamming pods and target towing containers, expanding the Series 60's special mission range of duties.
Bombardier admits that its special mission activity was previously something of an ad hoc business within the group. Now, however, a combination of growing maturity in the group and the growing need for special mission aircraft has led to the unit headed by Gilmour in Montreal.
Source: Flight Daily News
