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A Learjet 23 on the 30th anniversary of the plane Image
Location: Restoration Center, Everett
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Aircraft Details

  • Manufacturer: 
    Learjet
    Model: 
    23
    Year: 
    1964
    Power Plant: 
    Two General Electric CJ610-4 Turbojet engines
    Registration: 
    N154AG
    Serial Number: 
    23-034
    Length: 
    43ft
    Height: 
    13ft
    Span: 
    36ft
    Empty Weight: 
    7,025lbs
    Gross Weight: 
    13,200lbs
    Maximum Speed: 
    541.2miles/h
    Cruise Speed: 
    507mph
Learjet 23 Image
Learjet 23 Image

Learjet 23

Bill Lear wasn’t an aeronautical engineer when he started the Learjet project at age 61: he was an inventor and entrepreneur, having created the 8-track stereo, a variety of car radios, and the first jet autopilot.

In the early 1960s, Lear saw the potential need for a small executive transport, and founded the Swiss American Aviation Corporation (SAAC) to produce the Learjet 23. The Learjet 23 was inspired by the FFA P-16, a proposed fighter jet for Switzerland designed by Hans-Luzius Studer.  Production of the Learjet 23 began in Wichita, Kanas, in February 1962, and the first flight took place on October 7, 1963.

The Learjet 23 revolutionized the business transport world and created a new market for fast and efficient small jet transports.

The Museum of Flight’s Learjet 23 sits outside the Restoration Center at the entrance gate to Paine Field and helps visitors to find the facility.