Bombardier has begun production of the first Learjet 85 test aircraft, the company announced on Sunday at the NBAA Convention. According to Bombardier, teams in Wichita, Montreal and other locations throughout the world are now actively engaged in the manufacturing validation process. A full-length fuselage, as well as several other key parts of the all-composite aircraft, have been produced at the company’s Querétaro, Mexico, facility.
“We have made solid progress,” said Ralph Acs, Vice President and General Manager, Learjet, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Our manufacturing sites are ready, production has begun, we have been successfully building parts and we are ensuring that all quality standards are met for the Learjet 85 aircraft’s entry into service in 2013.”
The Learjet 85 was launched four years ago and falls in between Bombardier’s midsize Learjet 60XR and its Challenger 300 super-midsize jets. Powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307B engines, the Learjet 85 has a target range of 3,000 nm and a high-speed cruise goal of Mach 0.82.
