dozer

I'm looking for first hand intel from a current Lear 75 driver. Specifically interested in the following:

Realistic BOW? (Is 2000LBS available before hitting Zero fuel?)

Baggage Space? (Seems a little small. Any problems with crew plus 8/9?)

Overall Dispatch reliability?

How about the Garmin Avionics/ Radar?

Any feedback from pax, such as cabin noise/comfort?

Overall impression of the plane?

Thanks in advance. There is no substitute for info from someone in the trenches as opposed to salesman speak.

grimmdj

We have one of the last 45’s built, Flight Department has been around
72 years, worst aircraft ever owned. Neighbors have a 75, it’s for sale
With 1100 hrs. You will get really good at cleaning engine chip detectors. Thank Bombardier for coming out with a Advisory Wire
that allows pilots to pull and clean the engine chip detector. 🙄
Run away fast.
Dave

The Plainsman

We have a Lear 70. Bought it used about a year ago. Good dispatch reliability, no creature comfort up front. Plenty of room in the back, usually carry 5-7 pax with bags on 2-3 hour legs with no complaints. Garmin avionics are nice (we have 2 PC-12 NG’s with Apex so some similarities exist). I’ve been flying lears for 15 years (25, 35, 31A) and this is more of a Challenger than a Lear. Maintenance issues have been rare for us. Going in for annual next week so there may be more to add after that.

dozer

Thanks for the feedback guys. Fly safe.

TapRack

No 75s, but we have several 45s. They are pretty good at reliability. I can only think of a few times in several years where I've had to go back to the hotel. Of course, our MX department is rather large and our guys work their butts off providing excellent MX for us.

Can't comment on the avionics, but I can say it's a great hand-flying plane. I think you'll love it from that standpoint. We routinely fly 8 pax and have plenty of baggage space for a typical flight. If you start going out for 5-7 days, and they want to bring golf clubs, then it can become a challenge.

I don't know what issues, if any, the 75 will have with CG, but the 45 (heavy avionics, permanent/fixed aft ballast) can be tricky at times. If you're doing a shorter leg (~1 hr) with 8 pax and no bags, you'll often have to load up a ton of ballast in back. Can't take enough fuel to move CG aft enough due to landing weight issues.

APU heats great in Winter. Summer it can be a bit lacking. It's definitely more Challenger-like. Not really a Lear at all...looks like one and has the name, but systems are very Bombardier. (I have not flown a legacy Lear, but spoke to those guys about it, and I do fly a Challenger.)

Overall, great airplane, IMHO.