FAA Certifies G5000 Avionics Update for Learjet Aircraft

Bombardier Business Aircraft announced this week that the FAA has now certified the latest update to the popular Garmin G5000 avionics suite aboard Learjet aircraft. The upgrade will be incorporated on new Learjet aircraft deliveries and will be available as a retrofit in early 2020 for in-service Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft. The updated suite will also be a standard feature on Bombardier’s newest Learjet, the Learjet 75 Liberty.

The improvements to Garmin’s G5000 avionics suite are in perfect alignment with Bombardier’s mission of its continuing commitment to “maintaining positive momentum” for the legendary Learjet product line. The company stated that current Learjet customers are happy to have access to the newest flight deck technology, and the arrival of the Learjet 75 Liberty is “generating a lot of interest on the light jet market. If all activities stay on track, the timeline surrounding the Learjet 75 Liberty includes entry-into-service in mid 2020.”

Garmin’s updated G5000 avionics suite brings many workload-reducing improvements to the business aircraft flight deck, including climb, cruise, and descent vertical navigation, enhanced take-off and landing performance calculations and much more. FANS 1/A+, which enables access to the most efficient and favorable routes, will also be offered as an option. “This update will ensure readiness for modernized airspace requirements and deliver efficiency gains that are expected to lower direct operating costs,” Bombardier said. “Pilots will also benefit from a vast array of wireless connectivity features, including two-way flight plan transfers between compatible apps and avionics, available thanks to Garmin’s Flight Stream 510 solution.”

“The latest Garmin G5000 avionics suite is one of many reasons to love Learjet,” said Peter Likoray, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “With a steady stream of acclaimed enhancements and the upcoming entry-into-service of the new Learjet 75 Liberty, Bombardier is making the world’s best light jet an irresistible choice for more operators than ever before.”

A full-size interior mock-up of the Learjet 75 Liberty has already made several appearances to what Bombardier officials called “overwhelmingly positive reviews.” The aircraft is currently under development and the design tolerances remain to be finalized and certified, according to Bombardier, who stated that all specifications and data are approximate at this time.

Bombardier said the Learjet 75 Liberty has the same operating costs as its competitors in the light jet category while offering the most spacious cabin, and it’s a step up from other light jets in terms of safety standards as it is certified to the FAA’s more stringent Part 25 regulations, applicable to commercial airliners. The six-seat Liberty is powered by Honeywell TFE731-40BR engines and has a range of 2,080 nautical miles allowing Las Vegas to New York flights non-stop, a top speed of Mach 0.81 and a maximum operating altitude of 51,000 ft.