For the past four years, Bombardier designers have worked on a variety of design concepts for new airplanes. One result of those efforts–the Learjet NXT–was announced on October 30. The airplane will be the largest in the Learjet line and fills a niche between the midsize Learjet 60XR and the super-midsize Challenger 300. With a 675-cu-ft stand-up cabin, the Learjet NXT will carry eight passengers, fly up to 3,000 nm and have a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.82.
The logic behind developing a new large Learjet, according to Brad Nolen, Bombardier Learjet product manager, is that the company offers no ideal trade-up airplane for a Learjet 45 owner who wants Learjet performance but more space for passengers. About 25 Learjet 60XRs sell every year, making it a strong player in Bombardier’s portfolio, but with a shorter cabin and seats for seven passengers, the 60 isn’t a logical trade-up for owners of the eight-seat Learjet 45. The company needed an airplane larger than the 60XR that a Learjet 45 owner would find attractive, if he wasn’t ready to move into a Challenger 300. “We’re tapping into a huge installed base on the Learjet 45 and 60,” Nolen said. Bombardier has delivered more than 325 Learjet 60s and 344 Learjet 45s.
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