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WICHITA, Kan. – The Learjet, which has become synonymous with the lifestyles of the rich and famous, is about to blend into the history of aviation.
Canada’s Bombardier announced Thursday that it will stop production of the Learjet later this year to focus on more profitable planes.
This means the loss of 1,600 jobs in Canada and the United States, another blow to aircraft manufacturing, which weakened during the pandemic.
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The iconic jet was among the first private luxury jets. William Lear based his design in part on military jets. The first Learjet flew in 1963, and more than 3,000 had been built since.
“It was sleek and it almost had jet fighter pedigree,” said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst for Teal Group. “For the time, it symbolized the personal transport of the leaders. Additionally, Carly Simon put it into a fantastic song – which cemented its place in popular culture.
As well as being a replica of Simon’s 1971 hit, “You’re So Vain,” the jet has appeared elsewhere in pop culture, including on the hit TV show “Mad Men.” Frank Sinatra let Elvis Presley borrow his Learjet to get away with Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.
In recent years, production of the aircraft had slowed to about one per month. Thursday’s decision was announced in 2015, when Bombardier discontinued an all-new model, the Learjet 85, citing weak demand. Analysts could see the end of the line.
“The only thing the pandemic has done was hasten a sad end,” Aboulafia said.
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Bombardier said it will continue to support the Learjet fleet and that existing jets will fly for many years.
Most of the job cuts planned for Montreal-based Bombardier will occur in Canada, including around 700 in Quebec and 100 in Ontario. The company said about 250 jobs will be cut in Wichita this year and next, with another 100 job losses scattered across the rest of the United States.
CEO Eric Martel said in a statement that job cuts are always difficult, “but these cuts are absolutely necessary for us to rebuild our business while continuing to weather the pandemic.”
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Air travel fell during the COVID-19 outbreak, causing demand for new aircraft to drop sharply.
Bombardier said ending production of the Learjet later this year will allow the company to focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global jets and accelerate the expansion of its service business.
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Koenig reported from Dallas.
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