Learjet 55
1979 executive business jet aircraft
title: "Learjet 55" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["learjet-aircraft", "1970s-united-states-business-aircraft", "twinjets", "t-tail-aircraft", "low-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1979", "aircraft-with-retractable-tricycle-landing-gear"] description: "1979 executive business jet aircraft" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learjet_55" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1979 executive business jet aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Learjet 55 |
| image | Learjet_55_(2323440048).jpg |
| caption | A Learjet 55 on final approach |
| type | Business jet |
| national_origin | United States |
| manufacturer | Learjet |
| first_flight | 19 April 1979 |
| introduction | 1981 |
| status | In service |
| number_built | 147 |
| produced | 1979–1987 |
| developed_into | Learjet 60 |
| :: |
| name = Learjet 55 | image = Learjet_55_(2323440048).jpg | caption = A Learjet 55 on final approach | type = Business jet | national_origin = United States | manufacturer = Learjet | designer = | first_flight = 19 April 1979 | introduction = 1981 | retired = | status = In service | primary_user = | number_built = 147 | produced = 1979–1987 | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = Learjet 60
The Learjet 55 "Longhorn" is an American business jet manufactured by Learjet.
Development and design
The Learjet 50 series was first announced at the 1977 Paris Air Show with larger cabins than existing Learjets. The series was to have three variants, the Learjet 54, 55 and 56 but only the Learjet 55 was built. The Learjet 55 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with NASA-developed winglets. The aircraft has a T-tail and is powered by two Garrett TFE731 turbofans mounted each side of the rear fuselage. It has a retractable tricycle landing gear and an enclosed cabin for up to ten passengers and a cockpit for the two crew. Construction of the Learjet 55 began in April 1978 after extensive testing and work on the wing design which came, initially, from the Learjet 25. The Learjet 55 first flew on 19 April 1979. The first production aircraft were produced starting 18 March 1981. In total, 147 Learjet 55 aircraft were delivered.
Variants
;Learjet 54 :Proposed 11-seat variant; not built. ;Learjet 55 :Production variant; 126 built. ;Learjet 55B :1986 - Improved version with a glass cockpit, improved take-off performance and increased range, 8 built. ;Learjet 55C :1987 - New rear underfuselage design, with Delta Fins to improve lateral Dutch roll stability, and reduce takeoff and landing speeds. ;Learjet 55C/ER :Extended-range version of the Learjet 55C. ;Learjet 55C/LR :Long-range version of the Learjet 55C, fitted with an extra tank, carrying an extra 259 lb of fuel in the tail cone. ;Learjet 56 :Proposed eight-seat version, not built. ;VU-55 :Brazilian Air Force designation for a VIP transport variant of the Learjet 55.
Operators
;
Accidents and incidents
- On 31 January 2025, Med Jets Flight 056, a Mexican-registered Learjet 55 operating as a air ambulance by a Miami/Mexico based Jet Rescue Air Ambulance with six people on board crashed near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, at the intersection of Bustleton and Cottman Avenues, 40 seconds after takeoff from the Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. EST. The pediatric patient and her mother were en route to Tijuana International Airport in Mexico via Springfield-Branson National Airport, northwest of Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, after a medical procedure in Philadelphia Shriners Hospital. All 6 occupants onboard the aircraft and 2 people on the ground were killed in the crash.
Specifications
|ref=Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft |prime units?=imp General characteristics
|genhide=
|crew=2 |capacity=10 |length m=16.80 |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m=13.35 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m= |swept ft= |swept in= |swept note= |dia m= |dia ft= |dia in= |dia note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m=4.48 |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm=24.57 |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |swept area sqm= |swept area sqft= |swept area note= |volume m3= |volume ft3= |volume note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=13000 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb=21500 |max takeoff weight note= |lift kg= |lift lb= |lift note= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=2 |eng1 name=Garrett TFE731-3A-2B |eng1 type=turbofan aero-engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp= |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf=3700 |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original= Performance
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=871 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note=at 30,000 ft (9,145 m) |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh=744 |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note=at 49,000 ft (14,935 m) |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles=2492 |range nmi= |range note=with four passengers and fuel reserves |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=15,544 |ceiling ft=51000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note=
|power/mass met= |power/mass imp= |power/mass note= |thrust/weight= |thrust/weight note=
|more performance=
|avionics=
References
Notes
Bibliography
References
- "Brazilian Military Aircraft Designations".
- "SAP Group - {{sic".
- Deliso, Meredith. "Small plane crashes near Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia in fiery explosion".
- Orbis 1985, p. 1935
- Simpson 1991, pp. 187-188
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::