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Learjet's legacy: impact on private jet design by Dassault and others

Learjet's legacy: impact on private jet design by Dassault and others
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The private aviation industry experienced substantial growth following the debut of the LearJet 23 in the 1960s. The LearJet 23, one of the first private jets, set a standard for light private aircraft, leading to the emergence of various designs from different manufacturers. Companies like Dassault, Gulfstream, Cessna, and Bombardier have since developed a wide range of private jets.

Dassault Aviation introduced its first business jet, the Dassault Falcon 20, around the same time as the LearJet 23. "In 1965, French Aviator Jacqueline Auriol achieved the women's world speed record of 859 km/h over a distance of 1,000 km onboard the Falcon 20 prototype aircraft." The aircraft became popular among buyers such as Pan American Airlines (Pan Am), which ordered 160 units by 1968. Dassault later improved this model with the Falcon 200 and upgraded older Falcon 20s with more efficient engines.

Grumman Gulfstream, now known as Gulfstream Aerospace, launched its Gulfstream II in October 1966. It was powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines and could carry up to 19 passengers. "The type became the basis of the following lineup of jets, including Gulfstream III, IV, and V."

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Cessna introduced its Citation I small business jet in October 1968. "With Citation I, Cessna showed that the new business jet could operate from airfields accessible to light twin-engine aircraft." The manufacturer delivered hundreds of these jets before production ceased due to demand for larger models.

Other manufacturers also entered the market with their offerings. In August 1978, Mitsubishi's MU-300 Diamond took flight; it was later renamed Hawker 400. In November of that year, Canadair Challenger was introduced and would eventually lead to Bombardier's Global Express family.

Organizations Included in this History
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