Bombardier Learjet 45/40

Updated: October 2026 – A slender jet with a T-tail taxis to the general aviation apron, winglets stand at the wingtips, and under the tail two small fins angle downward: you are very likely looking at a Learjet 45 or its shorter sister, the Learjet 40. It is the first Learjet that Bombardier designed from the ground up after taking over the manufacturer. Here you learn how to separate the variants, tell them from the Learjet 35, 60 and 75, and where in Europe you can get them in front of your lens.

What is the Learjet 45?

The Learjet 45 is a twinjet business jet between the light and midsize classes. Depending on the configuration, it takes up to nine passengers, and the cabin is considered spacious for an aircraft of this size. With a range of about 2,100 nautical miles with four passengers, it covers practically all routes within Europe.

The backstory: the Canadian group Bombardier bought the venerable Learjet Corporation of Wichita in 1990. The first new development afterward, the Learjet 60, was still a stretched Learjet 55. The Learjet 45, by contrast, was a completely new design – reference works call it the first truly new Learjet since the original Learjet 23. Bombardier unveiled the project in September 1992.

Learjet deliberately set the first flight on a symbolic date: on October 7, 1995, the 45 took off – exactly 32 years to the day after the Learjet 23’s first flight in 1963. Certification by the US authority FAA followed in September 1997, under the strict rules for transport category aircraft (FAR Part 25). In 1998, the first aircraft went to customers. Certification by the European JAA followed, and in October 2004 the type also received approval for the steep approach into London City Airport.

A Learjet from the Bombardier toolbox

Typical of the Learjet 45 is the division of labor in the then-young Bombardier group. The wings came from de Havilland Canada in Toronto, fuselage and tail from Shorts in Belfast. In Wichita, Kansas, where Learjet has been based since the 1960s, final assembly, outfitting, test flights and certification came together. You know the principle from the big Bombardier types: the Challenger 300 and the Global family also involved several of the group’s plants working together.

Technically, the 45 brought several innovations to the Learjet line:

• Glass cockpit: a Honeywell Primus 1000 with four large displays, a digital autopilot and an engine and crew alerting system (EICAS). The first aircraft had CRT displays, with LCD retrofits following later.
• New wing: slightly swept at about 13 degrees and designed for high cruise speed.
• Auxiliary power unit (APU): With the built-in APU, the 45 can generate its own power on the ground – a real advantage for operators at small airfields. The later Learjet 40 does without it.
• Engines: two Honeywell TFE731-20 engines with about 15.6 kN takeoff thrust each. More about the engine manufacturer can be found on the page about Honeywell Aerospace.

The start did not go entirely smoothly. The early aircraft struggled with teething problems. In August 2003, the FAA grounded the entire fleet for about a month after a faulty attachment part on the horizontal stabilizer was discovered. Later reports credit the type with significantly improved reliability.

Learjet 45, 45XR, 40 or 40XR?

In 2002, Bombardier introduced the shortened Learjet 40, followed in 2004 by the higher-performance Learjet 45XR. Both share wing, tail, cockpit and systems with the base model.

Feature	Learjet 45	Learjet 45XR	Learjet 40 / 40XR
ICAO type designator	LJ45	LJ45	LJ40
First flight / certification	1995 / 1997	FAA approval June 2004	2002 / 2003
Length	approx. 17.7 m	approx. 17.7 m	approx. 16.9 m
Engine	TFE731-20AR	TFE731-20BR	-20AR (40), -20BR (40XR)
Max. takeoff weight	approx. 9.3 t	approx. 9.75 t	approx. 9.2 t (40)
Passengers	up to 9	up to 8 (more legroom)	typically 6 to 7
Range	approx. 2,100 nm	stated differently depending on the source	approx. 1,850 nm

The Learjet 40 is about 60 centimeters shorter than the 45. Learjet built the prototype from a converted 45 test aircraft that first flew in this form in late August 2002. FAA certification came in July 2003, less than eleven months after the first flight, and in January 2004 the type entered service. Among the first operators was the fractional provider Flexjet. Bombardier positioned the 40 as a cheaper entry below the 45; according to common figures, about 130 were built through 2013.

The 45XR got the more powerful TFE731-20BR engines and may take off about 1,000 pounds (roughly 450 kilograms) heavier. That brings more performance mainly in heat and at high-elevation airfields. The FAA approved the package in June 2004, and European certification followed in December 2004. Existing 45s could be upgraded via service bulletin. Analogously, Bombardier introduced the Learjet 40XR in fall 2004, which entered service from 2006.

The three features that are enough to identify it

Learjets look alike at first glance: pointed nose, T-tail, engines at the rear. With three checks, you still get to the 45 or 40 quickly.

What lies behind the four-character codes is explained in the article ICAO type codes explained. How winglet shapes differ in general is shown in Recognizing winglets, sharklets and raked wingtips.

Risk of mix-ups: other Learjets and the competition

Within the Learjet family, the differences often lie in the details. The finder helps you narrow it down.

Outside the Learjet family, the most common mix-ups are with jets of similar size. The Cessna Citation XLS has a cruciform tail with the elevator below the tip of the fin and a straight, unswept wing. You recognize the Embraer Phenom 300 by its strongly swept T-tail and large windows, the Hawker 800XP by its thicker fuselage and the air intake scoop on the vertical fin. An overview of all the big business jet families is given by the article Telling business jet types apart.

Who operates the Learjet 45

The Learjet 45 is a workhorse of business aviation. Charter and management companies value it for its cabin, which is spacious for its class, air ambulance operators for its range, speed and flat cabin floor. In addition, examples have served and still serve with governments and air forces. The Irish Air Corps used a Learjet 45 for VIP and government flights, and airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific ordered the type in a version for pilot training.

Production ran in several waves. In June 2006, the three hundredth Learjet 45 went to its customer, and by the end of 2010 there were more than 500. Common reference works give a total of about 640 aircraft built in the 45 series. In 2012, Bombardier presented the Learjet 75, a revised 45XR with a Garmin cockpit and more powerful engines, which replaced the base model. In February 2021, the group finally announced the end of all Learjet production; the last Learjet 75 was delivered in March 2022. That makes the Learjet 45 today a used-aircraft classic – but one you still see regularly.

How old a particular aircraft is and who currently operates it, you find with the guide Finding out an aircraft’s age. How to follow an aircraft live via its registration or hex code is covered in Tracking an aircraft by registration.

Where you come across the Learjet 45 in Europe

Business jets fly without a fixed schedule. The Learjet 45 therefore turns up where there is a lot of business travel, charter and air ambulance traffic. In the German-speaking region and neighboring countries, these are mainly these airports:

Location	Chance of a hit	Why
Geneva	high	One of the biggest business jet hubs in Europe
Zurich	medium to high	Lots of business travel traffic, especially around the WEF in January
Salzburg	medium, seasonal	Winter season and festival summer bring many private jets
Munich and Vienna	medium	Trade fairs and conferences, plus air ambulance flights
Paris-Le Bourget	high	Pure business airport, Paris Air Show every two years

At Geneva Airport, you have a good view of the apron from the observation deck; what else you need to know is covered in the plane spotting guide for Geneva. In Zurich, the Butzenbüel is a classic for landings, in Salzburg the observation deck right at the apron. And Paris-Le Bourget Airport is a must-visit for anyone who collects business jets anyway.

More tips on how to catch small jets specifically can be found in Spotting business jets and Spotting general aviation. How rare a Learjet 45 is compared with other types, the article How rare is my sighting? helps you gauge.

Photo tips specifically for the Learjet 45

At just under 18 meters long, the Learjet 45 is a small subject. It often taxis far away on the general aviation apron and is quickly past on approach. A few points help.

When the light works at your spot, you calculate in advance with the guide Planning the sun position for your photo spot. If a registration came out too small in the photo, the article Determining an unreadable registration helps you further.

Conclusion

The Learjet 45 marks Learjet’s fresh start under Bombardier: new wing, glass cockpit, auxiliary power unit and a cabin that is spacious for its size. With delta fins, winglets without tip tanks and compact Honeywell engines, it is easy to tell from older Learjets. Its shortened sister, the Learjet 40, and the successor, the Learjet 75, complete the family – and even after the end of production, they are regularly seen at Europe’s business jet airports.