After building on the basic Learjet family for many years, Learjet decided to update things with the Lear 45.  This was a new design for them, even if it was based on many of the original Learjet design features.  It also spawned a shrink with the Learjet 40.  For a while this was a popular jet but, with many manufacturers adding new types to the market, the Lears were beginning to look rather dated and the sales suffered.

The response was the Learjet 75.  A new engine and a bunch of revisions were introduced to try and reinvigorate the type and get some more airframes moving out of the production halls at Wichita.  The result has been mixed.  Some customers were pleased with the new type but the competition is still strong and some customers are not coming back.  I hadn’t seen one in the wild until recently when one showed up at San Jose.  It is still the same basic airframe so it looks okay (although if you ever get inside one, you will be surprised how cramped it is).  Whether it is enough to save the brand, we shall have to wait and see.