Story ID: 
Lear 60 joins Lear4Ever family
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Stevens Aviation (Booth No.
Word Count: 334
Stevens Aviation (Booth No. 3201) introduced the newest addition to its Lear4Ever line in a press conference here Tuesday– the Lear 60 Business Liner.With barely a passing nod to the continuing economic crisis, Stevens president of business jet sales Dana Arnold, noted that “the greatest challenges result in the greatest advances.” And with that he introduced the Lear 60 Business Liner, saying that after 20 years of service with the original manufacturer, “this is the finest version I’ve ever seen.”The aircraft is virtually a complete makeover, from the interior shell to an avionics upgrade.The cabin has a new, full-cabin LED lighting system from Heads Up Technologies. Added to that is high-speed Internet connectivity from Aircell, allowing full voice and data transfer, WiFi access and hardwired networks. The cabin entertainment system, according to Stevens, “is on par with any home theater.”At the heart of the Lear 60 Business Liner is the Universal Avionics EFI-890R multifunction display. According to Jim Williams, v-p of avionics sales, it is the first synthetic-vision system for the Learjet 60 and includes terrain awareness, onboard charting and data-link weather graphics–all presented in high-definition color.Stevens has also incorporated the Universal FMS/Waas/LPV system designed to allow the Business Liner access to airports under “more demanding conditions than any other aircraft in its class with a fully certified LPV 3-D coupled navigation system.”Williams said the aircraft represents “a quantum leap” achieved in less than 12 months. The Lear 60 Business Liner follows a makeover of the Learjet 35 by Stevens as the first in the Lear4Ever line.Priced at about $4.9 million (about $18 million less than a new Learjet 60XR), the downtime required for conversion is about two months. Stevens’s first Lear 60 Business Liner is now on display, and for sale, on the aircraft static display line here at NBAA.Stevens is acquiring a number of Learjet 60s to convert on spec, but is also willing to work with any Learjet 60 owner who would like to make the “quantum leap.”