“As a pilot and avgeek, trying to find high-quality T-shirts, hats, tumblers, golf shirts, and hoodies that feature my favorite aircraft in a single location has been challenging,” said Craig Fuller, CEO of Firecrown (parent of FLYING) and the owner of Aeroswag. “With Aeroswag’s new product line, I found hundreds of T-shirts that I would like to have in my closet. Unfortunately, my wife will only let me have around a dozen, so the hardest part will be narrowing down my selections.”

The aircraft featured in the online catalog include the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Wright Flyer, Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Cessna 182 Skylane, Beechcraft Bonanza, Learjet 45, Bombardier Global, and hundreds more. The catalog also includes kitbuilt aircraft, various modifications, and even gyrocopters. 

“If you’re looking for a great T-shirt with an awesome illustration of virtually any aircraft produced in quantity, Aeroswag’s new product line is where you will find it,” Fuller said. 

The post New T-Shirt Line Launched By Aeroswag appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1973 Learjet 25B.

The Learjet 23’s first flight in 1963 marked a new era in personal transport. Until that point, many aviation industry leaders doubted that the market for luxury private jets was large enough to warrant the expenditure needed to design and produce such aircraft. Convinced it would succeed if marketed to the right customers, inventor Bill Lear pushed ahead with development of the Learjet.

Learjets became so popular that for a time they became synonymous with “private jet” and “business jet.” People tended to refer to any sleek, small private jet as a Learjet. While many business aviation customers bought the aircraft, it was celebrity ownership that helped them stand out. Famous people–-like singers James Brown and Frank Sinatra, and pilot/golf champion Arnold Palmer—traveled in Learjets, which came to represent expressions of personal style as much as time-saving business tools. Even the earliest models still look great today.    

This 1973 Learjet has 10,600 hours on the airframe, 4,036 hours on one engine and 4,200 on the other since overhaul. The General Electric CJ610-6 engines have a TBO of 5,000 hours. The airplane has made a total of 9,557 landings and has a range of 1,437 nm, maximum takeoff weight of 15,000 pounds, and  basic empty weight of 8,154 pounds.

The panel includes a Garmin GNS 530AW, dual Garmin GTX 335 transponders, autopilot with flight director, and weather radar. Additional equipment includes a drag chute.

Pilots and passengers who want a fast, beautifully styled aircraft with family ties to what many consider the first real business jets should look into this 1973 Learjet 25B, which is available for $385,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: The Learjet Era Ends With a Final Delivery
• FLYING Magazine: Exploring the Flysimware Lear 35A for MSFS2020
• FLYING Magazine: FAA Certifies G5000 Avionics Update for Learjet Aircraft
• FLYING Magazine: Bombardier Announces Learjet 75 Liberty
• Plane & Pilot: How The New Learjet Liberty Is New And How It‘s Not
• Plane & Pilot: Last Learjet Ever
• AVweb: Last Learjet Rolls Off Bombardier’s Wichita Assembly Line

The post This 1973 Learjet 25B Is a Fast Celebrity-Linked ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

At this time, it’s available exclusively from its website. 

I had neither expected nor even heard of this release, though the company has been making fine add-ons for quite a while now for previous versions of Microsoft Flight Simulator (MSFS) and Prepar3d. So, I was slightly behind the power curve here, making it probably more exciting for me than others who already knew this was coming for MSFS2020. 

The corporate jet world is very limited in MSFS. The only true corporate jets of any reputable quality available are the stock Citation CJ4 and Longitude. Now, this Lear 35A truly brings a top-notch add-on to the mix. This was such a beauty I had to get this article out while it was still fresh and new. My initial flights have been easy and hassle-free. Due to its “early access” status, no manual comes with the product as of yet.

For me, a Challenger 300 captain, I believed I could figure this bird out without a problem. And for the most part, I have, from cold, dark start-ups to completing flights and learning as I go. It reminds me of the earlier days in my career flying Beechjets. Battery engine starts, fairly simple fuel management, and a pair of powerful reversers for stopping. Gimme a good pair of thrust reversers any day over the newfangled light jets that have none. Having only brakes to stop a jet is a bad idea in my mind, and maybe that’s one reason so many HondaJets, Phenoms, and CJs seem to have a lot of runway overshoots these days.

The flying and handling quality is fantastic, from what I can tell. I am not a Learjet expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it doesn’t have the easy-to-find flaws I have run into with many other aircraft add-ons over the years. The momentum, engine behavior, flying response and feedback, and maneuverability all seem in check with what I would expect of a real Learjet.

A lot of my praise comes from the fact that a team of real Learjet 35 pilots helped create this early masterpiece, so I feel I can ride with that in my positive evaluation. I am a big proponent of sounds and sound effects, and so far, this one doesn’t disappoint. I had to watch a few real Lear 35A videos on YouTube to compare, and I especially love the add-on’s internal engine spool-up sounds. Spot on! Reminds me of my Beechjet days when those engines had a beautiful harmonic hum on climbout.

One thing that’s missing is the sound of pressurization and air vents, which can be quite loud and fluctuate with the power settings. I hope that effect is added. Reverse thrust, while powerful, creates no noise. The real jet reverser is quite a loud roar. Luckily, FSRealistic solves the reverser noises. You can get FSRealistic at an online store, such as sim market, here. 

I am teaching myself the fuel system. It’s pretty self-explanatory with a great little iPad-type of device that shows systems, weather, weight and balance, etc. With all five tanks in operation and with the clever use of a few simple switches to keep fuel in the right places, you can go almost 2,000 nm. This is only if you’re very good with fuel flow and cruise Mach, as well as knowledgeable on how temperature aloft affects performance. I only see this long cruise happening above FL 400 with temps below ISA traveling at maybe Mach 0.75. Top speed seems to be Mach 0.80 (460 TAS), but you’ll eat up fuel and reduce range to far less. 

• READ MORE: Optimizing PC Performance for MSFS2020

Hand flying this little rocket proves that it is indeed that— a rocket. After a hefty pull on the yoke at VR (with no manual or speeds to reference, I guess, and trim her off when she’s ready…like 130 knots or so) and you’re off and running, 8,000 fpm is easy. Trim nose down to something more reasonable and pull power back to MCT or something less than takeoff power for noise abatement and engine safety. Reaching 4,000 fpm is easy now, flaps up and speed at 250 knots. Very maneuverable and fun to hand fly. Precise trim and balanced controls make this a dream.

After many fun takeoffs, landings, and touch and goes to get a feel for her, it sure feels like a barrel roll is in order. I know the Lear will do this in real life, and at least in sim, FAA inspectors can’t touch your virtual license. Landing the Learjet is straight forward, fun, and easy. It takes a little time getting used to the speed and angle-of-attack gauge if you’re not experienced in jet flying. Great landing quality, and realism is a delight. It’s not overly twitchy and works great with high-quality controls. For home use, I have been incorporating the Honeycomb Flight Controls starter pack (including yoke, pedals, and throttle quadrant), all via Sporty’s Pilot Shop. 

This is such a wonderful jet to fly. It’s one of the greatest I have ever gotten for any flight sim, period. That covers 40 years of this hobby, and the corporate jet realm is extremely limited. X-Plane has certainly offered more over the years, but we are long overdue for some love on the MSFS front, and this product certainly takes the lead. For about $40 you can grab this winner and join the evolving improvements constantly being brought forth by the dedicated team at Flysimware. I’d say this is a five out of five-star quality, even at this early stage. With a product this good, I really hope the company will make more corporate jets, especially the Challenger 300 I fly for real-life employment. 

The post Exploring the Flysimware Lear 35A for <i>MSFS2020</i> appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1995 Learjet 60.

It is difficult to believe today, but back in the late 1950s, when businessman Bill Lear suggested that a market existed for private jets, barely anyone believed him. I imagine you might have heard doubters giggling in the back of the room. As the story goes, Lear told GA aircraft manufacturers in 1959 that he was giving them three years to build a private business jet. If they did not, he would. In 1963 the Learjet 23 made its first flight.

Soon the aircraft was selling briskly to famous actors, musicians, athletes, and other celebrities. It was the hot, new thing, with performance and good looks beyond what many had imagined. The aircraft also had a head start on competitors who were a few years late to the market after witnessing Lear’s success. 

This Learjet 60 has 8,700 hours on the airframe, 8,322 and 8,524, respectively, on the engines, and 2,800 hours on the auxiliary power unit. The engines have been maintained under a JSSI (Jet Support Services Inc.) program.

The cabin is laid out with nine seats for seven passengers and two crew. The airplane received a new interior and paint in 2008. Triple-disc brakes, electric floorboard heaters, and a Wi-Fi system enhance safety, comfort, and convenience.

The aircraft’s panel features Collins Pro Line 4 avionics, including dual Collins VIR 432 Navs, VHS 422 comm radios, dual DME 422, Collins FCC 850 autopilot and flight director, duel Bendix/King KHF 950 HF radios, dual Garmin GTX 3000 transponders, Collins ADF 462 receiver, TWR 840 radar, and ALT 55B radio altimeter.

If you are looking for a jet capable of completing a range of business and personal missions quickly and with a degree of style that is difficult to match, you should consider this 1995 Learjet 60, which is available for $1,995,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: 50 Years of Learjets
• FLYING Magazine: Learjet 60 XR, An Airplane With Roots
• FLYING Magazine: The Learjet Era Ends With a Final Delivery
• Plane & Pilot: LEARJET 60

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1995 Learjet 60 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company said the AAU is designed to enhance in-service Global models with avionics features available on newer Global 5500 and 6500 jets now in production.

The new AAU software allows installation of Bombardier’s Combined Vision System, which brings together features of the synthetic vision system and enhanced vision system in a single view aimed at reducing cockpit workload and increasing situational awareness during flights in difficult weather conditions. Bombardier said a Global 6000 is the first to receive the AAU, which the comp[any is installing at its Wichita Service Centre.

“The new software upgrade for the Bombardier Vision flight deck is a gamechanger and we are delighted, along with Collins Aerospace, to bring our operators’ aircraft to new levels of operational excellence,” said Paul Sislian, executive vice president for aftermarket services and strategy at Bombardier. “The Bombardier Vision flight deck has been an important staple on Bombardier Global aircraft for years, and the addition of the Advanced Avionics Upgrade (AAU) ensures our business aircraft continue to be renowned for their impeccable safety, reliability, and performance.”

• READ MORE: Bombardier’s Long-range Global 5500 Enters Service

“The primary objective of this upgrade, and our long-term collaboration with Bombardier, is to proactively provide information to the flight deck that improves safety and confidence in decision making,” said Marc Ayala, senior director of sales, business and regional avionics at Collins Aerospace.

In addition to the Combined Vision System, operators can add other options including ADS-B In/cockpit display of traffic information, or CDTI, and airport moving map/SVS taxi mode. Bombardier also will offer a new weather radar that enables vertical weather and predictive windshear options.

• READ MORE: Bombardier Delivers More Aircraft, Reports Growing Backlog in 2nd Quarter

Installation of the AAU on in-service Global models is available across the company’s recently expanded network of service facilities at locations including Singapore (WSSS), Miami’s Opa Locka airport (KOPF), Melbourne, Australia (YMML) and London Biggin Hill (EGKB). Factory-trained technicians at these facilities will provide “a seamless upgrade process,” Bombardier said.

The post Bombardier Unveils Advanced Avionics Upgrade for Global Series Jets appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The company announced the new cabin on Monday at the 2022 National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), in Orlando, Florida. The Executive Cabin features three workspaces: the Office Suite, the Conference Suite, and the C-Suite. The areas aim to enable collaboration, productivity, and networking, and each is 12 feet in length.

Within the configuration and seating options is the modular furnishing, the Nuage Cube. Nuage—which means “cloud” in French—in its cube expression is intended to float around and change form much like a cloud, perhaps transforming from a footrest to a table when deployed in flight. For takeoff and landing, the Nuage Cube will be stowed in a dedicated compartment. 

Those taking delivery of the Global 7500 and 8000 may also spec four living areas depending on their needs. The Nuage interior includes new seats as well, with independent side tables. The Conference Suite hosts a large credenza with a flip-up monitor for presentations and other gatherings in the space. 

The Global 8000 is in flight testing, proving its projected 8,000-nm range and top speed of Mach 0.94—test pilots have gone supersonic in the process of performing certification profiles, according to Bombardier. The Global 8000 is projected to enter the market in 2025.

Sustainable Efforts from Bombardier

With $6.5 billion in revenue, 14,700 employees, and 5,000 aircraft in service, Bombardier has weathered the combination of the pandemic and its own corporate machinations. Éric Martel, president and CEO of Bombardier, outlined the company’s recent realignment and growth in employment. “When we relaunched the company, service [has been] a major pillar of growth,” he said in the press conference at NBAA-BACE. “This year alone we added a million square-foot service center space.”

Those service facilities have opened in Singapore and Melbourne, Australia, with the facility in Biggin Hill, London (EGKB) opening later this fall. A fourth facility, at Miami’s Opa-Locka Airport (KOPF), will open on October 31.

Martel spoke of the company’s alignment with the industry’s sustainability goals, including the use of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in its aircraft, now up to a 50 percent blend. It’s also seeking aerodynamic improvements to support reduced emissions, including its EcoJet, which utilizes a blended wing concept.

The post Bombardier Displays New Global 8000 Executive Interior appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

If a vintage-car buff entered the conversation, the TFE731 would certainly be the Chevrolet small-block V-8 of aviation.

Like those piston powerplants, the TFE731 has been an industry workhorse for decades. Indeed, the engine turns 50 this summer. Following certification in August 1972, it entered production the following month into what some might call a perfect storm in the aviation market.

Lear, Dessault, and Cessna

The business jet segment arguably was born in the 1960s with the introduction of the Lear 23. But by the early 1970s, it was coming of age rapidly as demand for private and corporate jet travel boomed. The TFE731, then built by Garrett AiResearch, arrived just in time to power a number of definitive new aircraft, including the Lear 35, Dassault Falcon 50, and the upgrade to the Cessna Citation line, the Model 650 or Citation III. FLYING’s pages in the June 1975 issue featured a report on the Falcon 10 highlighting the TFE731—and Ziff Davis Publishing awarded the turbofan the “Aviation Product of the Year” prize for 1975.

Today, Honeywell continues to manufacture variants of the engine for new aircraft as well as those in the aftermarket, such as the Gulfstream 150, Dassault Falcon 900, and Bombardier Learjet 70/75. It remains a stalwart of the midsize jet segment that forms the backbone of business aviation. Honeywell says 13,000 TFE731s have been produced and about 9,400 are still in service. Together, they have logged 108 million flight hours.

Geared, Twin-Spool Turbofan Design

Honeywell says the engine stands out historically because it was designed for business aviation, unlike earlier engines that had been adapted from military aircraft. The TFE731 was intended to boost fuel economy and range while cutting noise pollution, which was a major hurdle for early business jets. Its geared, twin-spool turbofan design developed from the TSCP700 auxiliary power unit used in the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 airliner.

Honeywell says the TFE731-2 engines built in the early 1970s generated 3,500 pounds of takeoff thrust and cut fuel consumption by 30 to 40 percent compared with other competing engines. The latter enabled transcontinental flight, which was a major selling point. Though Learjet and Dassault were the launch customers for the new engine, more manufacturers—including Lockheed (NYSE: LMT), Cessna (NYSE: TXT), Israel Aerospace Industries, and Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft (NYSE: RTX)—soon began using it. The military engine also found its way into training aircraft, including the CASA 101 and AIDC AT-3.

Honeywell says the engine has received 34 aircraft type certifications and has been produced in 80 configurations. The engine continues to evolve, with the latest version, the TFE731-60, rated at 5,000 pounds of takeoff thrust, and flown on the Falcon 900EX.

The post Business Aviation’s Workhorse Engine Marks Its 50th Birthday appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

These circumstances can occur in anybody’s life. Many high school friends, college mates, even graduate school buddies tend to disappear into our wakes as we move on, grow up, start families and then, one day, find ourselves wondering about those old friends. In my own life, those friends and acquaintances were made over several years of medical school and surgical residency.  The experiences we shared made for some late nights and soul-bearing discussions. 

For professional pilots, there is nothing like a type rating to make for a close relationship. You study together, you practice in the cockpit trainer together, you eat together, and you fly sim sessions together. You are joined at the hip. Then, off you go; given that you and your sim partner will both be FOs, you may never fly together again. 

Then there is the intimacy of flying with other pilots for a living. The road tends to make for relationships that are unlike those made by other mortals. The same hotels, the same dinners and breakfasts, the hours spent just inches from each other. 

So, what if somebody decided to put on an elaborate pilot reunion in a luxury resort and they paid for the fabulous food and copious adult beverages? Wouldn’t that be something?

Well, it just happened.  Andy got married.

Andy started pumping gas at the local FBO while he was in high school. Flying is all he ever wanted to do. Ultimately, ratings in hand, Andy got picked up by a local Part 135 company and started as a SIC on a Lear 31A. He was a good pilot and a willing worker and soon was promoted to captain. He flew with Rob on the Lear 45. He met Tracy, who worked for the company. He wasn’t the only pilot to notice this beautiful, smart, young woman; but he’s the one who won her hand. 

I met Andy as a green FO on the Lear 31. It was a part-time, weekend gig for me. Andy was a generous instructor. He had a friend who also flew the Lear: Jason. Jason was the first person to ever put me in the left seat of a jet. Had I been younger, I would have named all my children Jason. 

Andy and Jason have remained friends and their fortunes have matched their skills. Jason is now a captain at JetBlue. Andy went to JetSuite on the Cessna CJ3. There he was kind enough to “walk my resume” into the chief pilot. At age 68, I became a full-time, properly employed, jet pilot. This was a lifelong dream, and it was all thanks to Andy.

At JetSuite, check airman Greg conducted my initial operating experience. Greg taught me a lot about energy management and advance planning, not to mention restaurant intel. Dan was a check airman there, too. Meanwhile, Andy left JetSuite and became a Boeing 767 pilot for Atlas. Recently, he got every aviator’s top choice job: piloting Boeing 747s for a worldwide cargo carrier that features first class equipment and great pay. Andy’s old partner at the 135 company, Rob, has become a Global captain for FlexJet. Dan flies for Southwest. Everybody’s doing great, moving up.

Guess what? Andy married Tracy in April and invited Rob and Dan and Jason and Greg and me and our wives and significant others to the wedding at The Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Oh, what a party. While I was telling a story about a lesson learned from Greg during a wintry night approach to Teterboro, New Jersey (KTEB), it was clear that everybody had been there and done that. “That ILS 6, circle to land Runway 1 when the wind is out of the west is a test,” said Rob.  There were knowing nods all around. Someone mentioned that a similar predicament claimed a Learjet a few ago.

We talked about a runway excursion at Essex, New Jersey (KCDW). A CJ3 had attempted to land in a vicious crosswind. I remember doing just that with Andy. As we approached the airport, the ASOS kept shifting the howling wind direction ever so slightly and we kept changing our runway choice. I held on with baited breath as Andy nailed the landing.

Andy regaled us with stories of flying around the world on a monthly basis. Greg—now also a 747 captain at Atlas—had just arrived from Sydney, Australia, with certain local party gifts. 

As the night wore on, a sense of exhilarating satisfaction took hold. These are my people. They grew up in aviation together. They started pumping gas and now fly airplanes with takeoff weights that come close to a million pounds. They have seen some late nights and some early mornings. While aloft, they have shielded their eyes at sunsets and sunrises.  They are bound together by a love of the sky. 

Andy’s father told me, “It’s all he ever wanted to do.” That is pretty much true for all of us.  

The post Nothing Beats Reuniting With Old Pilot Friends appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Since 1990, Learjet has been a subsidiary of Bombardier Jets. In February 2021, Bombardier (BBD-B.TO) announced it was discontinuing the production of Learjets, however, it would continue to provide support and maintenance for the popular aircraft that are still in use.

Éric Martel, president and CEO of Bombardier, said the company has discontinued the Learjet 85 program and is focusing instead on the production of Global and Challenger jets.

The Learjet, with its distinctive sloped nose, has been flying since the 1960s. It was one of the first personal jet designs to be developed and flown. 

According to JetNet.com, approximately 3,043 Learjets have been built and of those approximately 2,145 are still in use.

The final Learjet was delivered to Northern Jet Management in Grand Rapids, Michigan, late last week. Northern Jet Management has other Learjet models to their fleet including the first and last Learjet 70, the 100th Learjet 40 and the 600th Learjet 45.

On its company Facebook page, Northern Jet Management posted a picture of employees surrounding the aircraft with the message “Monday the 28th of [March] 2022 saw the end for one of the most popular business jet families ever. After almost 60 years of production, @bombardier_jets have delivered their final Learjet. @northernjetmanagement had the honor of taking delivery of the Learjet 75, which is the 24 in their fleet.”

Today we celebrate the delivery of the final Learjet production aircraft to @northernjet. We also commemorate the Learjet legacy and pay homage to current and past Learjet employees for their dedication and commitment to the Learjet brand. pic.twitter.com/wh4fRpWV41

— Bombardier (@Bombardier) March 28, 2022

History of the Learjet

The Learjet was designed by William (Bill) Lear, an inventor and aviation businessman. Lear started designing a private jet in the 1950s. Jet aircraft were new technology, and there were many designs that never made it off the drawing board. That changed when Lear opted to adapt a Swiss ground-attack fighter, the FFA P-16, that had never been built. Lear formed the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation in Switzerland, hired engineers, and the work began. 

By 1962, the project was relocated to Wichita, Kansas, because Lear felt the project was taking too long in Switzerland, and in Wichita, there was already a workforce with the necessary skill set to build aircraft.

The first Learjet, built by what became known as the Lear Jet Corp., rolled off the assembly line in October 1963. Known as Learjet 23 (for model 23), the aircraft could seat as many as eight people. The production models began to appear in 1964.

Over the years, the company went through several name changes, becoming Lear Jet Industries Inc., and then in 1967, the company merged with the Gates Rubber Company of Denver, Colorado, and became Gates Learjet Corp. 

More designs were created and improved on as technology evolved. By the 1970s, the Learjet sported a turbofan engine, and eventually, winglets that improved performance and fuel economy.

• PHOTO GALLERY: 50 Years of Learjets

In the 1980s, Gates Learjet created its Aerospace Division. One of its first endeavors was making parts for the space shuttle.

With the last Learjet rolling off the line, Bombardier issued a tweet Monday: “We also commemorate the Learjet legacy and pay homage to current and past Learjet employees for their dedication and commitment to the Learjet brand.” The tweet included a photograph of the Learjet workers surrounding the plane.

Bombardier, based in Montreal, Quebec, noted that the facilities in Wichita will be revamped and used for flight test and special missions aircraft. 

Lear Knew More Than Aircraft

Aircraft aren’t the only thing Lear invented. He is also known for developing the 8-track cartridge audio tape and developing the technology that made it possible to reduce the size of electronics, which enabled radios to be installed into aircraft without a significant weight issue. During his 46-year career he received over 120 patents.

The post The Learjet Era Ends With a Final Delivery appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Both pilots and two flight nurses on board were killed when the aircraft came down approximately 1.4 miles east of the airport. 

The report, accompanied by a graphic demonstrating the aircraft’s flight path and altitude as derived from the ADS-B readout, shows the aircraft—N880Z—approaching from the north. It was on a repositioning flight from John Wayne/Orange County Airport (KSNA). The Learjet, which operated as an air ambulance, was based at Gillespie Field. 

What Happened

The aircraft was on an instrument flight plan as it approached Gillespie. The pilot contacted the tower and was given permission to land on Runway 17. The pilot asked to switch to Runway 27. The tower asked the pilot if he wished to cancel his IFR flight plan. The pilot replied, “Yes.” The controller approved the cancellation and gave the pilot permission to switch to Runway 27.  

The pilot was apparently having difficulty seeing the airport at night, as the pilot asked the tower to increase the runway light illumination. The tower operator responded that the lights were already at 100 percent.

The pilot’s decision to ask for a runway change may have been in the interest of safety. Runway 17 measures 4,175 feet, and according to published performance data for the Learjet, the aircraft would require at least 3,880 feet to come to a complete stop. Runway 27 measures 5,342 feet. 

Given that the runways were wet because of rain, investigators have speculated that the pilot opted for the longer runway as a precaution. Under IFR, the circle to land at night was not authorized, per a notation on the instrument approach plate for the RNAV 17 at KSEE. By canceling IFR and flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the pilot was not violating any rules. The weather at the time of the accident was reported as VFR, with a 2,000-foot ceiling and visibility of at least three miles.

The tower approved the runway change and the Learjet overflew the airport at an altitude of approximately 407 feet agl, entering the left downwind leg for Runway 27.  

According to the ADS-B readout, the aircraft descended to an altitude of approximately 332 feet agl, then climbed to an altitude of approximately 582 feet agl as it turned base leg. The last recorded ADS-B target showed the aircraft at an altitude of 507 feet agl. The last radio transmission from the pilot is a series of expletives followed by a scream before the sound of impact.

• DON’T MISS OUT: Subscribe to FLYING Magazine

A doorbell camera near the airport caught the Learjet’s rapid descent—and then a flash. 

Investigators determined that the aircraft struck a series of power lines east of the airport before coming down in a neighborhood. 

The wreckage was oriented on a heading of 310 degrees, putting it approximately 40 degrees off the intended runway heading. A Google Earth view of the accident site shows the aircraft was roughly oriented toward some commercial buildings and beyond that what appears to be a non-lighted natural area.

Video from the accident scene shows rain and mist, and heavy fragmented wreckage on fire. Local firefighters who reported to the scene noted the smell of jet fuel.

The NTSB and FAA are continuing the investigation. The final report containing the probable cause of the accident may take more than a year to determine.

The post NTSB: ADS-B Shows Unstabilized Approach for Learjet in El Cajon Accident appeared first on FLYING Magazine.