Podcast: Newly-formed Classic Lear Jet Foundation To Restore Historic Learjet 23

Wichita-based Classic Lear Jet Foundation, a newly-formed nonprofit organization, is acquiring the first Learjet delivered to a customer, Learjet 23-003, with plans to restore the aircraft to flying condition. The group’s goal is to keep the legacy of the Learjet and the company founded by Bill Lear alive.

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Rush transcript

Molly McMillan:

Hello and welcome to today's BCA Podcast. I'm Molly McMillin, managing editor of Business Aviation for the Aviation Week Network. Thank you for listening today. Before we get started, there's a reminder that you can subscribe to the BCA Podcast on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

Today I'm here with Chris Marshall and Bill Kincaid; they are both board members of a newly formed nonprofit group here in Wichita called the Classic Learjet Foundation. Chris and Bill will talk about an exciting Learjet restoration project they're undertaking and what the purpose of their organization is. Welcome listeners and welcome Bill and Chris.

Bill Kincaid:

Thank you so much, Molly.

Molly McMillin:

Thank you. Bill, you're the president of the Classic Learjet Foundation. Chris tells me it was your idea for this restoration project. So, why don't you tell us what airplane you're looking at and what you're planning to do with it?

Bill Kincaid:

We're talking about Learjet 23, serial number three, which was the first purpose-built business jet in the industry. It was also the first aircraft that Learjet delivered. That aircraft represented a change in the way business aviation was conducted. Prior to the Learjet Jet 23, the industry, basically, was reliant upon several aircraft that were derivatives of military aircraft; and the Learjet 23 offered businesses a more economical way to conduct business with an affordable aircraft.

The company historian is a gentleman named Dick Kovich. Dick Kovich and myself had been tracking this aircraft for quite some time and we noticed that it got re-registered in 2021, and then the aircraft showed up on flight aware for a brief 15-minute flight. Although that was a false indication, it got us thinking about what was going to happen to the aircraft. And we reached out to the owner, a company named Freedom Flyers, in 2021.

And unfortunately, we got no result from him. Myself and Dick got involved in a project that involved the very last Learjet that was produced and it exposed us to an enthusiastic fan-base of Learjet and its employees and owners and operators. It was against that backdrop that we got a call from Don Rounds on February 22nd offering the aircraft up for sale.

The owner was being pretty elusive about the price of the aircraft at the time. We made several contacts in an attempt to get him to put a purchase price on the aircraft. We then had to put our desires to acquire the aircraft on hold for a bit because we were tied up with the last Learjet delivery. But after that occurred, myself and Dick really set ourselves to task to try to obtain the aircraft. At that point, our main goal was to rescue the aircraft out of Florida and get it back home to Wichita, Kansas, where we felt it belonged.

Molly McMillin:

Well, the very first prototype was in a wreck; right?

Bill Kincaid:

The very first prototype did in fact crash in May of 1963, due to no fault of the aircraft itself. And the second one, which still exists, was at the request of the Smithsonian Air Space Museum, donated in 1976, where it resides now. The first five aircraft were basically hand-built, and this is the only surviving aircraft of those first five that isn't in the Air and Space Museum.

Chris Marshall:

I might also add, Molly, that the aircraft at the Smithsonian was always a flight-test airplane. It was never in the civilian fleet, and the aircraft under discussion that Classic Learjet Foundation is acquiring, is the first ever Learjet to be flown by a customer in the civilian.

Molly McMillin:

It has quite a history. I believe I read it was delivered in 1964, is that correct?

Bill Kincaid:

Yes, it was delivered in October of 1964

Molly McMillin:

And it's been sitting outside in the weather, I think Chris had told me. What kind of shape is it in?

Bill Kincaid:

Well, it's got corrosion. We did a trip down to Florida to look at it in July of last year. We know the aircraft is going to need an extensive restoration, but it is intact. It is original, very original. So, it is a worthy candidate for restoration.

Chris Marshall:

It's also quite complete. It has not been cannibalized or parts removed. It is as it was flown in. That's also very important in undertaking a restoration that all of the parts are there, the aircraft is complete.

Molly McMillan:

So, I think Chris had told me that you are about to go out and start taking it apart and putting it on a truck and getting it to Wichita; is that correct?

Bill Kincaid:

Yes. Starting on Monday, we will start the process of returning it to Wichita.

Chris Marshall:

Monday, February 20th. And if I could elaborate just a little bit, Molly, we have had such great support from people like Global Jet Care, a medical transport company; a company called International Turbines Industries out of Michigan; local people in Florida, a little aircraft engineering shop there on the field.

Individuals who are former Learjet employees living in the area are assisting a local trucking company here in the Greater Wichita area. Patent Trucking is going to be donating the transportation of the aircraft back to Wichita. So, there's been so much progress, cooperation from so many people who are so enthusiastic about recovering the airplane. We're just really tickled that things could move along and happen so quickly.

Molly McMillin:

How long do you think it will take to prepare it to get on that truck?

Chris Marshall:

I believe our estimate is three to four working days, such that the aircraft could be loaded up and on its way home, say by Friday. That is variable somewhat, because we don't know what sort of challenges may be in our way as we begin to do the disassembly. But we have highly experienced qualified people on the scene to do that work, and we're anticipating success and have everything in place so that the aircraft could be loaded up and on its way to Wichita by the end of next week.

Molly McMillin:

Now, your ultimate goal is to get that airplane back to flying condition; is that right?

Chris Marshall:

Yes, it is. We are so excited about that. One of the aspects of our project, Molly, is to our knowledge today in the United States, there are no actively flying Learjet 23s around. We know of a gentleman in California that owns a very beautifully restored Learjet named Clay Lacy. We're not sure if his aircraft is flying, and there are some other people in the states that have been flying Lear Jet 23s and have done their best to sustain that model. But the Model 23 as a flying aircraft is almost extinct, and we want to preserve that legacy as it was such an important and iconic airplane in aviation history, and especially for Wichita.

Molly McMillin:

You're going to start fundraising, I believe, for that effort; is that correct?

Chris Marshall:

Yes, we are. Classic Learjet Foundation received its 501C3 approval from the IRS at the end of 2022. We were so excited to achieve that milestone. It is critical to the ability to raise funds, and so Classic Learjet donations are deductible per the Internal Revenues Code 170. We have already had some contributions from generous folks, both in-kind donations and cash donations; and our first milestone is to pay for what we are calling the rescue of 23 003.

And we estimate the total amount that is needed to accomplish that, which is getting it back to Wichita and purchasing the airplane, of around $150,000. That's both including the purchase price, and the cost of transportation. And we are well on our way to having it back home through the generous donations of the folks that we've already talked about. And our board members have stepped up also with personal contributions as well to fund the transportation.

And then after that, Molly, it's going to be a longer term effort to get the organization established and begin a more long-term fundraising effort; looking for supporters and donations to fund the restoration. As I stated about International Turbines, a few moments ago, they have agreed to get the engines back into an airworthy condition, and the value of that in-kind donation is up in the seven figures.

So, we are just thrilled about that. Global Jet Care is fully funding the participation of their employees in the disassembly and de-mating of the airplane for transportation. So, we already have those things in place. We are in conversations with folks around town to provide us a space for the restoration.

We're not at a point where we can announce what that would be, but we do want to mention another partner company here in Wichita, Global Aviation Technologies, who will be storing 23 003 in their facilities so that it is safe out of harm's way and where it won't be cannibalized in any way. It'll be out of harm's way in their facility. So, we thank GAT for their generous contribution as well.

Molly McMillin:

Chris, why don't you tell me a little bit about your broader mission for the Learjet Foundation and the desire to preserve the Learjet history. Is that right?

Chris Marshall:

That's exactly right. The Learjet story, as it developed in the ‘60s and ‘70s, was a very pivotal time in aviation history. And of course, the name out in front is Bill Lear, but along with that name are many other names. During my time working at Learjet, it was a place that had a very family feel to it. There were fathers and sons, and husbands and wives, and cousins, and people that worked there and made the company the success that it was for so many decades.

And we want to preserve that aspect of the Learjet story along with the airplane and memorialize all those efforts for the many people who made those contributions back in the day. There are some names around Wichita that are very well-known and tied to the Learjet story; Dave Franson, Al Higdon, and so on. Don Grommesh, and folks like that.

And their stories along with so many others are what the Learjet history is all about. And we want to make sure that that is remembered in Wichita along with the airplane, along with the entrepreneurial story of the risk-taking. And Learjet was doing product-placement before even anybody knew how to say product-placement.

And Learjet was engaging celebrities as representatives for the product very early on, and that's still being done today by folks like Bombardier. So, all those aspects of the Learjet story, we want to memorialize those and preserve those so that that story remains an active part of the Wichita memory in the aviation story.

Molly McMillin:

And eventually, you'll be taking that airplane to air shows and fly-ins in that? Is that the ultimate goal?

Chris Marshall:

Yes. The idea is to have what's called a living flight history program or a living flight history aircraft. And that would be an aircraft that in addition to being on display and available to view as a superbly restored airplane, but also be available to see it, hear it, watch it fly, and perhaps even take a ride in the airplane.

Our friends over at B-29 Doc (a B-29 Superfortress that has been restored to flying condition) do much the same thing with their restored airplane, and we can envision the Learjet 23 003 being employed in a similar manner where it's on display, but it's also out flying. And people, the public around the country and here in Wichita can experience that and get a sense of what the airplane really was and is.

Molly McMillin:

We will follow the restoration and follow the project as we go along. So, I think we're a little out of time today. There is a website -- classiclear.org --  if you'd like more information. Thank you for listening and don't miss the next episode by subscribing to us in your Podcast app of choice. Now, one last request, if you're listening to the BCA Podcast and Apple Podcast and want to support this podcast, please leave us a star rating or write a review. Thank you very much and thank you Chris and Bill for being with us today.

Chris Marshall:

Our pleasure.

Bill Kincaid:

Thank you, so much.