Classic Lear Jet Foundation—the nonprofit Wichita-based group that seeks to return the first production Learjet (S/N 23-003) to flight—reached a milestone in its progress with the removal of the twinjet’s interior. The group intends to restore the aircraft to its original appearance when it was delivered in 1964, and noted that the removed seats, sidewalls, carpet, cabinets, and partitions will be retained and used as patterns for the aviation companies that have volunteered to build and donate a period-accurate cabin for the project.
“This is a big step in the preparation of the aircraft for the non-destructive testing required to get the aircraft airworthy again,” Bill Kinkaid, the foundation’s president, told AIN.
Included among the recently accomplished work, which is being performed largely by local industry volunteers and retirees, some of whom worked on the Lear Jet production lines, was the removal of the wing flaps, spoilers, and ailerons. One of the latter revealed a large, fortunately unoccupied, wasp’s nest—a souvenir of the aircraft’s quarter-century in storage.
Currently ongoing is the removal of the cockpit instrumentation, with each unit being documented and carefully bubble-wrapped for storage until eventually required for refurbishment and/or recalibration before reinstallation.