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The story of the LearFan is a complex one. Designed by Bill Lear as a
cheaper alternative to business jets, with nearly the same performance
but a pusher propeller, the LearFan became the first business aircraft with a
composite (carbon fibre) structure, as opposed to conventional metal
construction. Unfortunately in the late 1970s this was all a bit radical for the
Federal Aviation Administration, who repeatedly refused certification of the
LearFan. Bill Lear died in 1978 and his widow carried on the programme,
seeing the first of three prototypes fly in 1981. Problems with the gearbox,
which managed the two PT-6 turboprops on a common shaft, and structural
problems with the new composite materials caused costs to escalate, and
despite orders and options at one time for over 130 aircraft, the company
went bankrupt in 1984 with debts approaching 500 million dollars.
| CREW | 2 |
| PASSENGERS | 8 |
| ENGINE | 2 x 650hp Pratt & Whitney PT6B 35F tutboshafts |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 3334 kg | 7350 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 11.99 m | 39 ft 4 in |
| Length | 12.50 m | 41 ft 0 in |
| Height | 3.70 m | 12 ft 2 in |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 684 km/h | 425 mph |
| John, newellathebeach(@)yahoo.com, 27.10.2008 I followed this planes development when I was a kid and I became a huge fan. Sadly the Feds felt it would not be safe due to 2 engines turning a single blade. This resulted in it not getting its certification.
I opened a thread in Yahoo Answers to see if it would be possible to build the Lear Fan, but using 2 blades instead of one. How? By using contra rotating blades, but each powered by its own engine. My hope is the feds would see this as safer, but knowing them they would nix it just because it is different.
I guess the Piaggio Avanti comes pretty close, but it using pushers in a side by side configuration and is not quite as efficient, but it comes pretty close. While you are at it, look up the B-36 pusher. | | Zade, zaaas_124(@)hotmail.com, 29.06.2008 are they for sale how much,who sells them | | Richard, dickcruz(@)aol.com, 28.02.2008 hey where can i get detailed dimensions for this plane? | | Joseph, jodymckoon(@)hotmail.com, 01.11.2007 Love the idea rear mounted power plant to reduce cabin noise |
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Do you have any comments about this aircraft ?
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FACTS AND FIGURES© The LearFan was made almost
entirely of graphite/epoxy and
Kevlar composite materials, and
it was one of the first aircraft to
make such extensive use of
them. © Some critics have said the LearFan
was designed too much like a
conventional aircraft made of
composites to make the best use of
the strengths of these new materials. © Putting the propeller at the rear
reduced drag and helped the
LearFan approach jet speeds. © Some unfinished LearFans were
used by NASA to test composite
structures, being dropped from
towers in controlled crashes. © To meet a deadline of the end
of 1980, the LearFan's first
flight was officially recorded as
'December 32nd'.
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