The Learjet 24 is a twin-engine aircraft with turbojets manufactured by General Electric. Each standard engine model, a CJ610-8A, packs 2,945 pound-feet of torque at full thrust. Such engines are now well out of date: Turbofans on the newest Learjet 85 generate about 6,100 pound-feet of torque each.
The Learjet 24 has a maximum speed of 475 knots, about 547 mph. It is capable of climbing to 45,000 feet, a little more than 8.5 miles, above sea level. It has an overall range of 1,697 miles on a full tank of fuel. Newer corporate jets are capable of smashing these statistics. Learjet's 85 travels about the same maximum speed, mach 0.82, but significantly improved fuel economy has nearly doubled its range to 3,000 nautical miles.
The Learjet 24 is relatively small by corporate aircraft standards, although significantly larger than personal aircraft like those designed by Cessna. The Learjet 24 stands 12.2 feet tall, has a 35.6-foot wingspan and is 43.2 feet long. Its curb, or empty, weight is 7,064 lb. and it has a maximum takeoff weight of 13,500 lb.
After the manufacturer spent several years improving the Learjet 23, the Learjet 24 had its first flight on Feb. 24, 1966. Learjet produced 258 of the model 24, which had four variants: the Learjet 24A, 24B, 24D and 24F. It is now out of production.
