Lear 45

SOE restriction gone, 100 hours PIC logged so off “baby captain” mins, took her into a 4000’ VFR only airport today. Those carbon brakes are phenomenal.
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In my opinion, FL470 should be considered the max useful ceiling for this plane. You can't do it (normally) at max weights, but it can be very useful later in a long flight for certain circumstances (weather, fuel burn, etc.).
 
In my opinion, FL470 should be considered the max useful ceiling for this plane. You can't do it (normally) at max weights, but it can be very useful later in a long flight for certain circumstances (weather, fuel burn, etc.).

No argument from me there. We had an hour left in the flight and only one passenger, so we were plenty light. It was also ISA -10. I wouldn't have done it except to get out of the chop at 430 while remaining above the weather.

I have no plans to take it any higher.
 
Only went to FL510 once in a 45. We were coming back from Fairbanks with a planned fuel stop in Ketchikan. Ketchikan went below minimums and our Alternate followed. Decided to go to 510 and see if we could reach Bellingham. Turned out once we got up there the thing was sipping butterfly nectar and we made Seattle with plenty of gas. Great airplane.

510 was spooky though. A little darker if you looked up and eerily quiet with low IAS.

Biggest problem with the 45 is it spoils you for other swept wing jets. The wing on that thing is astonishing, with virtually no coffin corner all the way up to the service ceiling.
 

Biggest problem with the 45 is it spoils you for other swept wing jets. The wing on that thing is astonishing, with virtually no coffin corner all the way up to the service ceiling.

Yeah, look at the pic I just posted. Dude is at FL510 and still no low-speed-awareness showing up on the speed tape.

Funny thing about being retired - I’ve been telling everyone, truthfully, that I don’t miss my flying job. At all. Reading this thread again does make me miss that airplane a little bit though.
 
Yeah, look at the pic I just posted. Dude is at FL510 and still no low-speed-awareness showing up on the speed tape.

Funny thing about being retired - I’ve been telling everyone, truthfully, that I don’t miss my flying job. At all. Reading this thread again does make me miss that airplane a little bit though.
You guys must have light airplanes (I see that’s a 40). Even with nobody in the back and fairly light on fuel the highest I’ve made it is 49.3. Doesn’t seem to matter if you come at it fast or slow, airplane just runs out of steam there.

Really, really loved my time on the 45. Other than a couple maintenance frustrations (still nothing compared to a legacy Lear) just an absolutely solid, capable airplane.
 
You guys must have light airplanes (I see that’s a 40). Even with nobody in the back and fairly light on fuel the highest I’ve made it is 49.3. Doesn’t seem to matter if you come at it fast or slow, airplane just runs out of steam there.

Really, really loved my time on the 45. Other than a couple maintenance frustrations (still nothing compared to a legacy Lear) just an absolutely solid, capable airplane.
To clarify, that wasn’t my/our picture. Just some guy (that I don’t know personally) posting in the Lear 45 FB group. (My personal highest was around 49.8, and once was enough. Maybe you would get comfortable up there if you did it more, but the combination of weight / stage length just didn’t seem to make it worthwhile or practical to me.)

(As a side note, the only issue with what I saw in that picture is that I suspect they landed with less than my personal minimum FOB. But I was pretty conservative.)
 
To clarify, that wasn’t my/our picture. Just some guy (that I don’t know personally) posting in the Lear 45 FB group. (My personal highest was around 49.8, and once was enough. Maybe you would get comfortable up there if you did it more, but the combination of weight / stage length just didn’t seem to make it worthwhile or practical to me.)

(As a side note, the only issue with what I saw in that picture is that I suspect they landed with less than my personal minimum FOB. But I was pretty conservative.)
I plan for 1500 usually but if I don’t need an alternate I don’t really fuss unless it looks like less than 1200
 
Are you sure that’s a 40 and not a 45 without an APU? Reason I ask is it says 21.5 MTOW on the placard, and full disclosure I have only ever flown the 45 and I can’t remember if the weights were different.

It has also been over 10 years since I’ve flown one. And it is a really nice airplane, second only to the Falcon on my list of favorites.
 
Are you sure that’s a 40 and not a 45 without an APU? Reason I ask is it says 21.5 MTOW on the placard, and full disclosure I have only ever flown the 45 and I can’t remember if the weights were different.

It has also been over 10 years since I’ve flown one. And it is a really nice airplane, second only to the Falcon on my list of favorites.
You’re right, I saw no APU and thought 40 but those are 45 weights
 
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