As a forty year employee of Lear Jet I was there when this bird was built. What you called a rake were called fences in the factory. Lear built 80 or these planes and ID then as a C-21A. This was a very profitable run of planes as they were all exactly the same. There was also a ferry kit that went inside the cabin after the interior was removed, I think it added 200 Gallons and connect to the existing fuel system. a lot of the plumbing {tubing} in this aircraft was probably built by me.
I was thinking the same thing you might not wanna sit down on any of the seats unless you're adventurous and willing to throw all caution into the wind and already have your stds under control and that craft has been setting so long bringing it up to speed would take a lot of money
@@mrt601 The restoration would cost some money. Being outside doesn't help, but it looks like she's been kept sealed up as far as doors and windows, which is good. The "401 Forever" videos give a good look at what can happen when a plane is left open to the elements. Things like small ports, the engines, pitot tubes, etc. would be worth a look, as far as whether they were sealed. Then, it would be a top to bottom inspection, and a list of stuff to repair or replace. Definitely a project, but on the positive side, one heck of a provenance.
According to Flight Aware, N21VN was last flown April 30th 2024 from Barstow, FL to Fort Peirce, FL reaching 11,000ft and 450mph during the 21 minute flight.
I worked as a lineman for Clay Lacy and got to go up on a multiple new pilot check ride in one of our 35s. The lead pilot knew I was an aspirational pilot in training, so at Bakersfield he had me jump into right seat and I got to do a take off, and Radar vector approach back into Bakersfield. I was on cloud 9 for months. It was the coolest and hottest plane where everything happens so fast due to those tiny wings. And he helped me feel the planes sweet spot, which happens at climbout by pulling throttle back to around 87% when you could feel the plane "relax" since all Lears to that model were wildly over powered. The frame just settled at that point and you could feel it in the contols and in your butt. It was free, and ready to do anything you directed it to do. I'm so blessed to have that golden few minutes of instruction.
I have a friend that used to fly Clay Lacys Lear jets out of Van Nuys. I wonder if you have crossed paths? He used to tell me about the awesome performance of those planes. I asked him many times if he could get me a ride in one but that never happened.... you are indeed a lucky guy!
Awesome story! I’m an aspirational pilot too but I got bit by the flight bug pretty late in life (I’ll be 45 in a few weeks). And I also experience my love of flying through flight sims. I started with some more accessible, non-sim games (GTA 5 Online, War Thunder) before starting on DCS World. It’s a huge challenge learning to fly a Bf 109 K but I absolutely love it! I have a nice set of VKB hotas gear and I actually built my very first gaming pc about 6 months ago specifically to fly in DCS World. I’d love to learn to fly for real someday, but I wear contacts so I’m not sure if that would hold me back. Being able to fly a 109 or 190 in a sim might be the closest I’ll get, but I absolutely love it! 🙂👍
Hey jimmy, I'm a disabled veteran, and I absolutely love your videos. I'm homeless, and I'm having my 19th surgery on Oct 11th to replace my right knee, I just wanted to thank you for what you do because it keeps me going, especially when I'm going through some tough times.
Good luck on your surgery bud! Here's hoping 19 is the charm. Thanks for your service and I'm praying you get a roof over your head sooner than your surgery!
Keep up the fight at life you're worth it! Start a gofund me and push it in the comments. Maybe start a RUclips channel of ur life on the streets. It has to be interesting.
I worked on Lear 35s for decades as a mechanic for Airnet Systems. We had several 35s. The spoilerons are deployed in descents, as spoilers, and used for landings to give you more roll authority at low speed. The 35 is a very solid aircraft.
I miss my Starcheck days. Great memories and almost all 'tell me a time' stories are from flying at Airnet. I'm still a freight dawg flying Triples now.
Someone at Van Nuys airport said that most of the entertainers don't actually "own" those aircraft. They lease or have some sort of a contract and they just say "It's mine." I don't know how it works as the last time I took flight lessons was in the mid 90's. Even with as successful as Motley Crue has been though in the last 40 plus years, I can't envision them having the oceans of funds to actually own, insure, fuel, maintain, pilots' salaries, pilots' accommodations over the between tour stops and so much else. The record company, business manager, tour manager, attorneys, promotor, agents, tour staff, venue staff, grips, cooks, lights, sound, truck drivers, and so many other all get paid each show. I just can't imagine having any money left over to own one of these wonderful aircraft and no doubt, those Lear Jet never get old. Beautiful creation.
I just love how he talks. I don’t know anything about airplanes or how to repair them. But I could just listen to this guy talk about them and how to repair them all day.
I was on this Lear Jet once in the nineties when it landed in YVR Vancouver , B.C. Canada. I worked at an FBO and had to clean it. It was full of chocolate chip cookies, endless candy, and big gulps. Those rockers really consumed the junk food. 😁
I will forever love LearJets. I flew Lear 24's, 25's and 35's in the late 90's. Absolutely a blast to fly and would climb like a bat out of Hell! These airplanes were way ahead of their time.
Based off a Swiss fighter so yeah,they were never going to go slow. The first Jet built didn't have a T tail until they realized with the thrust of the newer GE engines it could possibly tear off a conventional tail. They made the change before the first flight which also improved the looks. It was win,win.
That noise ban only applies to the 20 series lears. 35s are relatively quiet.The entry door is manual to open. Only electric is to cinch it closed for flight.
Owned by Royal Air Museum Inc., N21VN is the personal transport of Vincent Neil Wharton, the lead vocalist/musician of the heavy metal band, Motley Crue. What's unique about this aircraft is that there isn't a single photo of it anywhere online. It was built as a C-21A back in 1985 with the serial number 84-0114. The current owner picked it up in December 2015. My guess as to why it's here is that it has something to due with mechanical or electrical problems with the jet.
I love your enthusiasm in the making of your videos. I wished I had the money to just take one ride with you since you always explain so much as to the condition of the plane and how you and your friends manage to fix them and get them back in the air. Thanks and keep your videos coming!❤❤
Jimmy, I had a 35 for 10yrs, they’re basically fighter jets in a passenger config. Amazing aircraft, but as you might expect new parts are unobtainium. We flew direct from Napa to Fl and still almost 2hrs in reserve. Bad to the bone.
@@dunhill1 You're comparing and 9,000 pound airplane to a 48,000 pound airplane, so it's just not apples to apples but the Lear climbs faster and the Gulfstream has a faster cruise.
Jimmy , back when the band broke up I was working in the haz-mat business and a guy came to work for us in Deerfield Beach FL area and told us he was Vince Neal's pilot, he told us the story about the band and that he had the plain at a local airport he flew in because his mother was having heath issues and would be in town until the band called him back , is that plane neer Deerfield Beach ?
also that 35 uses the 731s which is POST hush kit and its still used in the lear 45 re-branded as a honeywell .. so its LEGAL to fly.. pretty sure the ONLY reason that plane is grounded is due to corrosion. i know part of the plane needs to be re-skinned which will cost more than the plane is worth.. there are less than a handful of 35s flying due to corrosion, and because its a pressurized cabin they are very strict on repairs.. hence the price..
Could it be converted to a non pressurised soft top to get around the corrosion issues. Fly with the wind in ya hair like in the old days.. Just a tad faster. 😊
The TFE731 engines aren’t that expensive. About $150-200k to do a hot section and $300-400k to overhaul. Some of the newer Pratt engines are close to $1M to overhaul. Plus there are used engines out there you could buy for less. Most likely the airframe maintenance is what makes this one uneconomical to return to airworthiness.
Lear 35 was my very first jet. Quite a rocket ship, although I had the pleasure of flying a Lear 60. The 60 had more performance than the 35. When I got typed on the 60, instructor said Lear 60s don’t have wings, they are “fuel fins”. It was all about the engine thrust. All Lears are fast jets.
In my Air Force days I caught a hop on a C-21 from McClellan AFB, with a stop at March AFB to pickup a 3 star General and then on to Kirkland AFB in New Mexico. Sweet ride and I felt like it was my own jet being the only 2 passengers on board. Great experience.
Yeah, I was on a waitlist for a C-21 at Andrews that was returning to Germany when some General hijacked it and it ended up running some generals back to Barksdale via Meridian NAS. Ironically I had started my trip 60 miles from Barksdale... I ended up on a C141 reserve medevac (aka Nightingale) run that left very late due to weather and then stranded us all at Azores. (I was cussing that random unknown General for days) My flight out of Azores (only plane on the schedule) was a C130 check flight. So we spent a full day flying circles with 12 pilots and an instructor over the Atlantic. They stayed WAY too late to get the last pilot over-water certified and we actually landed on a closed runway during a heavy storm at Rammstein. At least I was back to Germany! I asked about that C21 at the terminal (it was BASED in Rammstein humorously enough) and yeah, they arrived the day before early after leaving Shreveport and that was with having to fuel in Greenland for the big hop. So I cussed the unknown Generals a few more times with more feeling. After a long wait for a C141 and a full day delay after I was "rostered", a 15 hour C130 flight and waiting on a closed runway under a wing for someone to get clearance to get us off the runway.. the person answering my question started laughing with my cussing. She said I had one of the more entertaining Space A itineraries she had heard in a while. I beat it years later with a "Space A" flight in a E3 Sentry on a live mission. Actually had an Air Force O6 as my "host" -- I always wondered what he thought about the US Army E4 who got command approval for a ride along. I was shocked they said it was okay as long as my command approved. So I flew on a bunch of flights, including KC missions. (refueling armed aircraft)
I took a C-21 flight from Naples back to Sigonella Sicily back in the 90’s. I was a lowly E4 in the navy returning from a medical appointment. I remember it was the last flight on a Sunday night and some officers weren’t so happy about me taking up one of the empty seats
Glad you are okay Jimmy. With everyone gone, my instructor, my favourite Doctor, my favorite Haida Indian, Denny Adams, killed flying Grumman Goose, was deeply saddened by the recent 310 mishap, instantly thought of you.
Retired airline pilot here. Note- the static tubes are not covered, the engine intake and exhausts are not covered. Surprise- Jimmy noted a wasp in the vicinity. No pilot with any experience would buy that plane at any price without at least a "C check." AKA an extensive maintenance check.
Learjet...best airplane of my youth. Spent 5 years (79-84) in my 20's flying 20 series Lear's. After some development, this airplane ended up with the Softflite version of the wing. I only flew the Softflite on the 24E and 25D and not the earlier Mark II and Century III wing. Yeah, that's a wing fence that helps keep airflow detachment inboard, but more importantly are the BLE's in front of the ailerons. The boundary layer energizers kept the faster upper surface airflow attached to the wing and delayed the aileron buzz (high frequency flutter) that helped crater several Lear's installed with stupid overspeed defeat switches. I wish I could find a video of the aileron buzz they showed us in Wichita at Safeflight...an eye opener to anyone dumb enough to think they were a test pilot.
Somewhere between the 24B and 24E they lost the stylish (but useless) "bullet" tail... I liked that styling detail... nice Mid-Century touch... like fins on cars, lol.
My father was a test pilot for Learjet, and eventually moved to Eaton Corp to fly. I believe he was involved with the Softflite modifications. I grew up flying with him all over the country, until regulations prohibited it in the mid-80s. Rough life!
@@ntldr2005 I remembered after commenting that I did fly that 25D with a Century III wing and then we took it to get modified to the Softflite. I sincerely tip my hat to your Dad, something to be proud of for sure.
LOL the good old ‘go fast switch”…IIRC a circuit breaker to kill the stick puller. Yup, bad idea, sure its got the thrust to get to .83 or .86 but then you hit turbulence/wave/etc then Mach tuck, aileron snatch/buzz…rookie/‘test pilot’ then puts the boards out to recover, then it ‘tucks’ even worse. BUT fly it by the book and you’re rewarded with the very best, and one of the safest of light jets imho. Just amazing numbers especially considering it was designed 60-odd years back when Lodestars and DC-3s were the typical corporate transports…
They gained a reputation as a "tube mailer for businessmen" for a reason. The fan engines on the 35 were a big step up from the 23, 25 series which gave a much longer reach with range.
There are nice worn 35's out there at a reasonable price. Drop a couple of Million $ and you got a rocket with zero time engines, new interior and Garmin 3000 avionics. In the jet world for 2.5 million $ you have a jet that leaves almost everyone wishing they had your climb; speed, & a 51,000 ft service ceiling
No existing STC for a g3000 in a L35 but universal avionics had an upgrade done for the C-21A which brought it up to modern standards. L35 service ceiling is only 45k
“Vince Neil Aviation.” I remember it well, based out of Vegas. He owned numerous aircraft and made them all “Rock N Roll Themed.” Over the years Vince made a lot of bad investments but being a “1099-Rock Star,” he needed the deductions…
This jet was taken because Vince Neil had a charter service in Vegas that went belly-up and he owed taxes he couldn't pay, so the plane was confiscated to pay for the taxes. His plane was to fly in his rock star buddies all over the states and the Caribbean. But that didn't work out too well obviously.
Sounds like Vince won out on that one then, this plane paid his debt, then within a few years I'm guessing the EPA shut these birds down because of noise. Hed have lost a million dollar plane
Not strictly true. Vince was involved with a Scottsdale based 135 operator but was not the principal. The hope was his name would generate more business. However the Vince Neil fleet were on Aero Jet Services AOC. If the AOC went bust then the planes would have been seized, but it wasn’t Vince as the principal owner.
One of the last 35s/tip tank Lears made I would guess. Dee Howard reversers were considered superior to those made by Aeronca. The fences/boundary layer energizers/strakes/AoA probes mentioned on this bird were collectively known as the 'Century III/Softflight' wing which were there to aid in high Mach/low speed handling. There were several variations of these features, original 'straight' wing on early 23/25/25 and some 35s, with thinner leading edges and Boeing-style vortex generators just in front of the ailerons, Dee Howard/Raisbeck 'Mark II', Century I,II,III, etc. I miss flying them. True pilot's airplanes.
Come on Jimmy. $64,000? I’m surprised that you have not bid on it already. Save the Learjet! This would be a great long-term project for the channel. What could possibly go wrong?
From what I could research Vince Neil ran an air charter service, Vince Neil Aviation out of Las Vegas, from 2010-2019. This plane looks to have been used by it for an unknown period of time, likely under a lease arrangement. But there is no record of Vince Neil actually owning the aircraft.
You are correct. He had a charter company based out of Vegas. He along with a couple of partners owned it. I have known Vince casually since the 80’s from my days in Radio and television. I think he acquired a total of three or four planes.
This aircraft was sold by the government in 2014 as surplus. It was bought by a museum and sold to the current owner in 2017 and is in west Palm Beach. The engines are Garrett TFE731-2-2B
@@kobartlett there were at least 3 business jets I could track down that Neil's company had converted to "Rock star style luxury charters" for his company. This Lear 35A (N21VN), a Hawker 700A (N323JK) and another Lear 35A (N58MM). They all were decorated with the same style flame decals on their noses.
Hi Jimmy, Love this video. You make me smile every time I watch . The aircraft are always interesting but it is the stories you tell that amaze me.I often think how can he improve for the next video. And you always do. Keep it up Mate !!!
I used to fly those. The engines are Garrett TFE731 that produce 3,500lbs of thrust if I remember right. The wings have stall fences, which you pointed at. The bumps are called boundary layer energizers.
I've never understood this type of boasting about a high groundspeed. Why not just say: i once had a 170 knot tailwind. I guess that doesn't impress people enough? Because on the return trip now you're doing 310 knots gs. No one ever brags about that, right?
The Lear 35 was my first type rating. I flew Lear 35s for an air ambulance company out of Fort Lauderdale. Such a cramped cockpit, but hella fun to fly.
Love your enthusiasm and gesticulation, reminds me of Scotty Kilmer, another person that enjoys making youtube videos. If you have an automotive question he is the Dr. of Drs. in his field.
Jimmy I very well may have flown on that airplane. Back in 1987 before the US Army bought the last 2 Gulfstream G III's made the USAF would provide Lear 35's to transport the Secretary of the Army who I worked for and traveled with. The Lear 35 was uncomfortable to travel in as we usually had 5 or 6 folks traveling with the Secretary. The cabin was very short and the luggage compartment was behind the small bench seat across the back of the cabin. You had to lay half of the back seat down and lay the 3 seats along the aisle on the left side of the aircraft down pull out a mat from the luggage compartment and slide the luggage along the mat and store in the compartment. Real PIA. When we got our own G III's with Army CW4 Warrant Officers as pilots life got way easier.
From a noise perspective the 35A is legal. It’s listed as stage 3 approved and that is the current requirement for operating aircraft 75,000 lbs or less certified prior to a certain date. The real issue with that airframe is any pending MRO requirement to get it and keep it airworthy.
The FAA mandatory noise restriction was implemented around 2013, but applies to TURBOJET aircraft not modified to comply with the Stage 3 requirements. The 20 series Learjets with the GE CJ-610 engines fell into that category. The sweet Garrett 731s are high-bypass turbofans and are quieter and stage 3 compliant. That particular engine powers many different jet aircraft.
They (BizJet?) did come out with a 'hush kit' for the 20 series but the expense/performance hit coupled with the age of the airframes meant very few were modified. Also too there was a Williams engine swap but I can't imagine the high altitude performance/expense/aging airframe would have made that tenable...so in the end the 20s like all other grand old turbojet planes flew South😀
And a geared turbofan, at that-the TFE-731 along with the Lycoming ALF-502, almost 50 years before Pratt's PW1000 series. An elegant but complex solution to getting fan/turbine/compressor stages to turn at their happiest speeds.
The fuselage fuel tanks are actually in the belly. There are also tanks in the wings and on some ER (extended range) they had another fuel cell in the very back of the fuselage. Also, the door isn’t powered electronically, they’re manually operated. It was probably locked.
Doors aren't power operated but if I'm not mistaken the doors are drawn tight with an electric motor. Been a lot of years since I've worked on them but It seems I recall someone stealing a motor out of one I had aog to keep a charter flying. It was returned with a payment for use but that operator almost went to prison for that.
@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 you are correct, it was tip tanks and under the back seat and baggage floor in the 20-30 series I was thinking of the 55&60 with a trunk tanks.
Vince Neil the rock star hit rock bottom in 2005 when he filed for bankruptcy after mounting up a whopping $1.5 million in debts, including $4,400 in IRS claims.
$1.5 million is nothing for Vince Neil. His cars are worth more than that. If he had to go bankrupt over a 1.5 million debt, he’d be living in a motel 6 level broke. Vince isn’t hurting at all.
@ yea, all those numbers look good on paper. That’s about all they are, it’s how rich people screw people over on debts, and still remain rich. 1.5 million…$450,000, and whatever else he claimed to go bankrupt over is Chump Change to Vince Neil. I’m not glorifying him, I just know how it is. Things may have looked bad on paper, but he was never personally hurting the way a normal person would if they were in the same situation. His Lavish lifestyle probably never missed a beat.
If we were comparing the condition of an airplane to Vince's voice these days, we'd be looking at an old Convair 580 sitting on pallets at Davis-Monthan.
Have traveled a few times on these older lears. They take off like a rocket and are extremely smooth in the air. Not the most room but a cool plane to be a passenger on back in the day.
Probably the closest to military level performance you can get in a civil transport. The 24B I flew weighed around 7000 pounds empty but had almost 6000 pounds of thrust (The CJ-610 turbojet was a non-afterburning version of the J85 engine used in the F-5/T-38/A-37). Even at the gross weight of 13000pounds it would climb directly to 45000' in about 25 minutes, on a hot day. They were such fun...
The 35s are prone to corrosion and it’s a complicated and expensive fix. Think there are also some mods that need doing, sure someone will know what exactly. The engines are really expensive ($200k!?!) to overhaul if they are out of hours. Bet there is no history (logbooks) for the plane which also complicates things. 😀👋🇬🇧
@@thyslop1737 IF the airframe is in airworthy condition, and given the corrosion Jimmy showed us on the belly it probably isn't, you are still talking 500k to redo the engines, 800 k for the hush-kit, probably another 250 k at least for avionics. you could make it fly if you really wanted to, but it just isn't worth the money it would take to get it in the air. you can get much better planes for the 1.5 million it would cost.
I flew 25, 35, and 36s as a Captain. This is such a cool plane! It’s too bad this plane couldn’t get back in the air. Also, you don’t need power to get the door open. You need it to get the door closed up to fly. Just FYI. I Love this channel! Please keep making videos!
@@seanoswa1829 True. But on the 35s, you can only run the hook motor from the inside of the plane. The only other way out is the over wing emergency exit which looked intact. That said, I’ve had to break into a plane using the emergency exit because the hooks came down and were catching on the top half of the door, so you very well could be correct.
@@benseamans1972 Sorry boss, gonna have to disagree with you. On the 30 series, as well as 20's, bottom door has key slot. When turned, key operates motor; motor pulls down hooks. Close top handle & back-off hooks as desired; been locking'm this way for decades. If lower hook are over top door and left battery (as I recall) has pooped, then ya gotta problem--I've had to swap rt to lt battery a couple of times because entry/bag lights were left "on". Ever had to use the 7/16" socket to get the hooks released because the motor died? This sux! And yes, I've gone through the over-wing a few times. Almost rather put the masks back together when turning the O2 knobs the wrong direction! Cheers!
@@seanoswa1829 Oh wow. Well, none of the 25, 35, or 36 I flew had one. A couple of the planes so flew did have on the top half a rotary lever door latch that could be locked using a key, but that was it. This is why I think this plane is so interesting. On top of its high performance, they were so customizable from the factory, and then owners added/ removed/ changed so much, that each plane is unique. I don’t even remember reading in the manual that a key slot to run the hooks from the outside was even an option. (Last time I studied the manual was more than just a few years ago though, so there’s that lol) Thanks for the info.
Looks very similar to a jet the famous Cal Worthington bought. This was the first Lear I fueled while working at an FBO in Chico California. No one told me you needed to do 25 gallons at a time. I was filling the left tank I didn’t notice it was getting close to the ground, and the right wing was way up in the air. I figured it out. But had to use a ladder to get to the tank on the right side
You would put 250 into one side then go over to the other side and top it then go back to the other side if it was a full load. I never did 25 gallons at a time, and never tipped one.
@@groundopsnick2758 may have been. This was 1982. I can’t remember anything but getting yelled at then having to climb a ladder just to get to the right side nacelle. I was also adding Prist anti bacterial and it was dark. So I was more concerned about my test the next day ( I was an engineering student at the time)
From what I've been able to read from the FAA I would agree with you, but there must be a good reason its only 65k - which may explain the reason you can't open the door!
Vince owned a small air charter service that he had hoped would see fans using it to travel in the style of a “rockstar”. Decked out interiors etc. he would also use the planes for his own tours. Many of his businesses (Booze, clothing, restaurants and this Charter) failed and saw bankruptcy. Hence the auction (I assume).
You are correct. He has had more failed businesses than he has fingers and toes. Even after all of his bankruptcies, his bankruptcy attorney sued him for non-payment of fees😛.
30 years ago, I worked for Doug Jaffe, doing building and equipment maintenance at his hanger in San Antonio, which was one of four depot level facilities in the world for Boeing 707s. Doug got filthy rich developing hush kits for 707s a decade earlier, before they were forced out of the country for noise. This hanger was also the site of development for the Swearingen SJ30, and I got to see the results of them firing the chicken cannon at it! (Blood and feathers.) So many fun memories there, such as tugging a 707 across the ramp, and using an air start to fire up the engines on two other 707s.
Yeah, I'm gonna buy a 40 year old jet with Commodore 64 avionics, that has been rotting in the desert, and has Vince Neil's 40 year old used condoms and Jack Daniels whiskey stains all over its interior. I'll pass.
Me and my coworkers roofed a guy's house and he turned out to be the head of California Lear jet service ( long defunct) and he was going to give us all a free ride in a Lear35 and show us what the plane was like and what it could do.... Never happened. They had 3 Lear 35's at the local airport and I would go to the hangers every couple of weeks and talk to mechanics and pilots and they all said that guy was all talk. But it was fun to go inside the aircraft and learn about it from those guys. Circa 1987
Actually my personal jet, a Cessna Citation 2, is older than that aircraft and it flies great. The limiting factor on the Lear would be corrosion and the amount of money you want to throw into it.
@@sophiejaysstuff4026 Well I might be (relatively) slow, but I do own a jet! It's actually around the same speed as a Honda Jet, but for a lot less money. The Lear is definitely faster. I have type ratings in the Lear and the Citation.
@@hulkhoganstights6596 Yes well please tell us about yours too. My contention is that the plane isn't so old that it can't be brought back to airworthy standards. The biggest problem is the lack of logbooks. Without them, the plane isn't even worth the parts, since many are time limited.
Well somebody has those logbooks, and it is illegal to fly the AC withoutthem being onboard. So somebody needs to investigate who had access after it's last Flight Aware documented flight earlier this year. It may a federal criminal theft offense for who has them to posess them. They stay with the AC.
I worked at the Gates Lear Jet company in Wichita Kansas in 1979. Worked the router shop second shift. Ran Brake Arm Router. It was good work and good people to work with. The Longhorn Lear was just getting started back then. Crying ass shame they went out of business.
You forgot to mentioned that the Lear 35 is one of the fewest plane capable to go all the way up to the level 51. I've been there on a Lear 55 and it's incredible. Also that version there has a wide door, which is a great advantage for an air ambulance, for example. I don't think the noise was the issue for that plane to be seating there. There are plenty of Lear 35s operating all over the world including the US.
Very cool! I used to work for Garrett Aviation (McArthur Airport) back in the 90's and this really takes me back. Back then I was part of a crew that worked on Lear 31's and 35's and most had Garrett TFE731 engines. We also had an engine shop and test cell that did full overhauls. Yo Pete! Every weekend our customer Airnet would schedule an engine change due to TBO and it was a rush job from Friday to Monday morning. Fun times back then.
My father worked his entire career at Combs Gates, later AMR Combs, later Bombardier. They were in FBO for learjets. I believe it was the 25s and the 35s that were just rocket ships. Like Ferraris in the sky, could get right up next to the speed of sound. They were loud, and they were fast and they were well-built.
The engines are TFE731s. Originally developed under Garrett/AiResearch. They were merged with Allied Signal who was later merged with Honeywell. Those engines are still produced to this day. Albeit in far smaller numbers now. They are great engines, producing around 4700 lbs of thrust and weighing in with around 850 pounds (depending on dash number). I'd be curious to know the engine S/N numbers. I know a few older gentlemen that probably had a hand in building them.
They're really interesting engines as well (if you're into that kind of thing!). They're geared turbofans, so similar to the Pratt and Whitney GTF that powers the new a320neo. Quite advanced for their day.
I've heard of L39 owners putting in the modern equivalent of the Garrett TFE731s which are now made by Honeywell. The Honeywell variants were on the Bombardier Learjet 45 with the proprietary DEEC (Digital Electronic Engine Control - basically a FADEC) which paired with the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite in the 45. What some L39 owners did was take out the old Soviet-era engine and APU and put the TFE731 with the DEEC unit which allowed for battery start and increased the MOTW by about 1000lbs and allowed for more fuel to be carried increasing the range as well as a more efficient/powerful engine which increased speed/altitude capabilities and turned the L39 into a very capable IFR cruiser as well as a mainstay on the air show circuit and in many civilian military contractors which provided aggressor pilots to go up against Hornets, Vipers and Raptors in training exercises.
I'll bet you're also big hit with the ladies. Flying a high performance aircraft and hot ladies irl, are certainly not the same as practicing solo with your pillow or in your bathroom mirror. IRL, if you Fup, you crash and burn. In fantasyland, you're just a legend in your pooh. Real men don't splash around in their pooh. And real women have no interest in such 4 year old kids playing with their pooh. Real women like real men with a great missile and how to control and use it proficiently to blast them off, before you do.
Jimmy I just spent Thanksgiving in Franklin TN and my mother-in-law who is friends with the former pilot for motley Crew and talked about this jet she flew for the often .. they are coming down to Fl this winter and should do an bud with them ! Her husband is also a pilot
I once knew an A&P mechanic. I used that phrase to him and he told me there's no such thing as a "perfectly good" aircraft. There's always something wrong, even if it's just a little thing, I've flown in a small Lear as a flight nurse. The interior is like a cigar tube.
@@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364 well we didn't say that about the Hawkers Falcons or Gulfstreams we worked on. I guess it's a standard industry term for flimsy design
I’ve heard Lears aren’t particularly good and have some unusual flight characteristics too. That medical flight crew that crashed into KSEE apparently learned that stall lesson the hardest way possible.
Would love to see a video of how you got started! How did you get the cash flo to mess with these awesome flying machines!?! Personally I don't care if you started off rich or went rags to riches to get involved in this I think it would be interesting to know! What is important is you love what you do❤
CHECK OUT THIS INFO: "When the iconic Learjet first flew in October 1963, it heralded the beginning of an era of luxurious, chic, and fast executive jets. The Learjet 23 was so quick-with a top speed of 561 mph and a 3G rate of climb at 6,900 feet per minute-that only frontline U.S. Air Force and Navy fighters outperformed it." Knew Bill from my business in Reno and the Reno air races as they were back in the 70's. Good guy.
As a forty year employee of Lear Jet I was there when this bird was built. What you called a rake were called fences in the factory. Lear built 80 or these planes and ID then as a C-21A. This was a very profitable run of planes as they were all exactly the same. There was also a ferry kit that went inside the cabin after the interior was removed, I think it added 200 Gallons and connect to the existing fuel system. a lot of the plumbing {tubing} in this aircraft was probably built by me.
Thanks for sharing!! I enjoyed it!
Cool. I'd pay a lot of money to suddenly be endowed with your experience and fabrication skills.
wow love it
They were used a lot in pacaf Us plain enlisted got the c-12s if we were lucky They got the c-21s
It was a fun run ! @@danoc51
I can only imagine how much the interior of that jet would glow under a black light.
😆😆
I was thinking the same thing you might not wanna sit down on any of the seats unless you're adventurous and willing to throw all caution into the wind and already have your stds under control and that craft has been setting so long bringing it up to speed would take a lot of money
If it dries it dies.
@@mrt601 The restoration would cost some money. Being outside doesn't help, but it looks like she's been kept sealed up as far as doors and windows, which is good. The "401 Forever" videos give a good look at what can happen when a plane is left open to the elements.
Things like small ports, the engines, pitot tubes, etc. would be worth a look, as far as whether they were sealed. Then, it would be a top to bottom inspection, and a list of stuff to repair or replace. Definitely a project, but on the positive side, one heck of a provenance.
@@DEP717 Probably worth more as spare parts.
A black light would make the interior look like a Jackson Pollock painting
Bwahaha!!! You did go there! 😂
@@justinoliver1984 i went there too in my comment above, i found this later....
This was the first one I seen.... I figured there'd be multiple along those lines lol. That's a given with any member of Mötley Crüe.... 😂
Best comment ever!
Jimmie they're called STRAKES not rakes
According to Flight Aware, N21VN was last flown April 30th 2024 from Barstow, FL to Fort Peirce, FL reaching 11,000ft and 450mph during the 21 minute flight.
@@gititcam3248 far cry from never flying again
Thought Barstow was in California? Think they had a Marine Corps Base ?
@@justdone1251 I think he meant Bartow Fl.
I worked as a lineman for Clay Lacy and got to go up on a multiple new pilot check ride in one of our 35s.
The lead pilot knew I was an aspirational pilot in training, so at Bakersfield he had me jump into right seat and I got to do a take off, and Radar vector approach back into Bakersfield. I was on cloud 9 for months. It was the coolest and hottest plane where everything happens so fast due to those tiny wings. And he helped me feel the planes sweet spot, which happens at climbout by pulling throttle back to around 87% when you could feel the plane "relax" since all Lears to that model were wildly over powered. The frame just settled at that point and you could feel it in the contols and in your butt. It was free, and ready to do anything you directed it to do. I'm so blessed to have that golden few minutes of instruction.
I have a friend that used to fly Clay Lacys Lear jets out of Van Nuys. I wonder if you have crossed paths? He used to tell me about the awesome performance of those planes. I asked him many times if he could get me a ride in one but that never happened.... you are indeed a lucky guy!
Clay Lacy: Legend
I worked for Clay as well. KVNY.
Much love bro.
@@grantyentis5507I worked line service 2008-2009.
Awesome story! I’m an aspirational pilot too but I got bit by the flight bug pretty late in life (I’ll be 45 in a few weeks). And I also experience my love of flying through flight sims. I started with some more accessible, non-sim games (GTA 5 Online, War Thunder) before starting on DCS World. It’s a huge challenge learning to fly a Bf 109 K but I absolutely love it! I have a nice set of VKB hotas gear and I actually built my very first gaming pc about 6 months ago specifically to fly in DCS World. I’d love to learn to fly for real someday, but I wear contacts so I’m not sure if that would hold me back. Being able to fly a 109 or 190 in a sim might be the closest I’ll get, but I absolutely love it! 🙂👍
Hey jimmy, I'm a disabled veteran, and I absolutely love your videos. I'm homeless, and I'm having my 19th surgery on Oct 11th to replace my right knee, I just wanted to thank you for what you do because it keeps me going, especially when I'm going through some tough times.
Good luck on your surgery bud! Here's hoping 19 is the charm. Thanks for your service and I'm praying you get a roof over your head sooner than your surgery!
Keep up the fight at life you're worth it! Start a gofund me and push it in the comments. Maybe start a RUclips channel of ur life on the streets. It has to be interesting.
Thank you for your service🙏💯🤗
you may be disabled but those immigrants are staying in nice hotels along with a $2000 per month check.
Keep the faith brother...you're not alone. Sending love from another vet...
3:14 the best explanation about how a jet engine works I have ever heard.
I worked on Lear 35s for decades as a mechanic for Airnet Systems. We had several 35s. The spoilerons are deployed in descents, as spoilers, and used for landings to give you more roll authority at low speed. The 35 is a very solid aircraft.
Been 25 years since I had the pleasure of flying a 35, IIRC the spoilers became active for roll control with flaps 20 or greater…?
I miss my Starcheck days. Great memories and almost all 'tell me a time' stories are from flying at Airnet. I'm still a freight dawg flying Triples now.
@@nikh9080 well at least you're never going to have to go back to ATL because a passenger had diarreah throughout the plane 🤣🤣🤣
So what am I missing? Why would anyone even be bidding on this if it can't be flown again?
@@trvman1 salvageable spare parts are often worth more than a complete aircraft
The cocaine residue left in it would be worth more than the jet itself
The remaining trace elements would defer the cost.
What about the fecal matter in the carpets?
Is going in there isn’t worth the A.I.D.S. ViRUS exposure 🤷?
Ha ha... that's why nobody wants it! Get pulled over on the runway by the air police: "ah we smelled cocaine - that's why we pulled you over!"
But you'll have to extract it from the dried smegma splotches.
Someone at Van Nuys airport said that most of the entertainers don't actually "own" those aircraft. They lease or have some sort of a contract and they just say "It's mine." I don't know how it works as the last time I took flight lessons was in the mid 90's. Even with as successful as Motley Crue has been though in the last 40 plus years, I can't envision them having the oceans of funds to actually own, insure, fuel, maintain, pilots' salaries, pilots' accommodations over the between tour stops and so much else. The record company, business manager, tour manager, attorneys, promotor, agents, tour staff, venue staff, grips, cooks, lights, sound, truck drivers, and so many other all get paid each show. I just can't imagine having any money left over to own one of these wonderful aircraft and no doubt, those Lear Jet never get old. Beautiful creation.
Iron Maiden had a 747. It's not impossible.
@@JimDog794 heheheh, wow, you are right
Don’t forget their budget for the dealers
Maiden leased that 747... then returned it after their tour. They never owned it.
@@JimDog794 Ed Force One was leased.
I just love how he talks. I don’t know anything about airplanes or how to repair them. But I could just listen to this guy talk about them and how to repair them all day.
*I was a 20 year roadie for the Crue and they never had a plane.*
*They didn't have any money until late, late in the game.*
@@lscales6131 the way he talks is why I only made 10 seconds.
@ fair enough.
I was on this Lear Jet once in the nineties when it landed in YVR Vancouver , B.C. Canada. I worked at an FBO and had to clean it. It was full of chocolate chip cookies, endless candy, and big gulps. Those rockers really consumed the junk food. 😁
as we all can tell today, all that shit caught up to Big Vince
Smoke a fatty and get the munchies.
Pure diazapam munchies
@@HesTNTonPMSGiggle snort tee hee, boy did it ever! 😅
heroin addicts develop a huge craving for sugar.
I will forever love LearJets. I flew Lear 24's, 25's and 35's in the late 90's. Absolutely a blast to fly and would climb like a bat out of Hell! These airplanes were way ahead of their time.
Yep they are the original and always look amazing
Based off a Swiss fighter so yeah,they were never going to go slow. The first Jet built didn't have a T tail until they realized with the thrust of the newer GE engines it could possibly tear off a conventional tail. They made the change before the first flight which also improved the looks. It was win,win.
That noise ban only applies to the 20 series lears. 35s are relatively quiet.The entry door is manual to open. Only electric is to cinch it closed for flight.
So why will it never fly again
Owned by Royal Air Museum Inc., N21VN is the personal transport of Vincent Neil Wharton, the lead vocalist/musician of the heavy metal band, Motley Crue.
What's unique about this aircraft is that there isn't a single photo of it anywhere online. It was built as a C-21A back in 1985 with the serial number 84-0114. The current owner picked it up in December 2015.
My guess as to why it's here is that it has something to due with mechanical or electrical problems with the jet.
I love your enthusiasm in the making of your videos. I wished I had the money to just take one ride with you since you always explain so much as to the condition of the plane and how you and your friends manage to fix them and get them back in the air. Thanks and keep your videos coming!❤❤
Thank you very much!
Jimmy, I had a 35 for 10yrs, they’re basically fighter jets in a passenger config. Amazing aircraft, but as you might expect new parts are unobtainium. We flew direct from Napa to Fl and still almost 2hrs in reserve. Bad to the bone.
Were these faster and more manuervable than a Gulfstream G5?
@@dunhill1 You're comparing and 9,000 pound airplane to a 48,000 pound airplane, so it's just not apples to apples but the Lear climbs faster and the Gulfstream has a faster cruise.
Hey driver- do you still have a jet? Can I fly with you somewhere??
@@stevenstrain283 Ok then, so why don't you answer the part of the question that I didn't: which is more maneuverable?
Jimmy , back when the band broke up I was working in the haz-mat business and a guy came to work for us in Deerfield Beach FL area and told us he was Vince Neal's pilot, he told us the story about the band and that he had the plain at a local airport he flew in because his mother was having heath issues and would be in town until the band called him back , is that plane neer Deerfield Beach ?
also that 35 uses the 731s which is POST hush kit and its still used in the lear 45 re-branded as a honeywell .. so its LEGAL to fly.. pretty sure the ONLY reason that plane is grounded is due to corrosion. i know part of the plane needs to be re-skinned which will cost more than the plane is worth.. there are less than a handful of 35s flying due to corrosion, and because its a pressurized cabin they are very strict on repairs.. hence the price..
I'd be interested in the time on the engines, as well. If not timed-out, a hot section and possible repairs would cost more than a house.
Could it be converted to a non pressurised soft top to get around the corrosion issues.
Fly with the wind in ya hair like in the old days.. Just a tad faster. 😊
The TFE731 engines aren’t that expensive. About $150-200k to do a hot section and $300-400k to overhaul. Some of the newer Pratt engines are close to $1M to overhaul. Plus there are used engines out there you could buy for less. Most likely the airframe maintenance is what makes this one uneconomical to return to airworthiness.
Quite an assumption to say it’s grounded due to corrosion.
What if he promises to only fly under 5000 feet and only go 500MPH? No pressurizaation needed then!
I'm still flying Lear 35's that were built in 1979 and 1981. Solid machines.
Lear 35 was my very first jet. Quite a rocket ship, although I had the pleasure of flying a Lear 60. The 60 had more performance than the 35. When I got typed on the 60, instructor said Lear 60s don’t have wings, they are “fuel fins”. It was all about the engine thrust. All Lears are fast jets.
In my Air Force days I caught a hop on a C-21 from McClellan AFB, with a stop at March AFB to pickup a 3 star General and then on to Kirkland AFB in New Mexico. Sweet ride and I felt like it was my own jet being the only 2 passengers on board. Great experience.
Thank you brother.
Yeah, I was on a waitlist for a C-21 at Andrews that was returning to Germany when some General hijacked it and it ended up running some generals back to Barksdale via Meridian NAS. Ironically I had started my trip 60 miles from Barksdale...
I ended up on a C141 reserve medevac (aka Nightingale) run that left very late due to weather and then stranded us all at Azores. (I was cussing that random unknown General for days) My flight out of Azores (only plane on the schedule) was a C130 check flight. So we spent a full day flying circles with 12 pilots and an instructor over the Atlantic.
They stayed WAY too late to get the last pilot over-water certified and we actually landed on a closed runway during a heavy storm at Rammstein. At least I was back to Germany! I asked about that C21 at the terminal (it was BASED in Rammstein humorously enough) and yeah, they arrived the day before early after leaving Shreveport and that was with having to fuel in Greenland for the big hop.
So I cussed the unknown Generals a few more times with more feeling. After a long wait for a C141 and a full day delay after I was "rostered", a 15 hour C130 flight and waiting on a closed runway under a wing for someone to get clearance to get us off the runway.. the person answering my question started laughing with my cussing. She said I had one of the more entertaining Space A itineraries she had heard in a while.
I beat it years later with a "Space A" flight in a E3 Sentry on a live mission. Actually had an Air Force O6 as my "host" -- I always wondered what he thought about the US Army E4 who got command approval for a ride along. I was shocked they said it was okay as long as my command approved. So I flew on a bunch of flights, including KC missions. (refueling armed aircraft)
I took a C-21 flight from Naples back to Sigonella Sicily back in the 90’s. I was a lowly E4 in the navy returning from a medical appointment. I remember it was the last flight on a Sunday night and some officers weren’t so happy about me taking up one of the empty seats
I live next to march aftb
Glad you are okay Jimmy. With everyone gone, my instructor, my favourite Doctor, my favorite Haida Indian, Denny Adams, killed flying Grumman Goose, was deeply saddened by the recent 310 mishap, instantly thought of you.
Jimmy, one day your Jet plane will come in…
You’re a good man and make it a better World !
Bless you.
😉👍
Retired airline pilot here. Note- the static tubes are not covered, the engine intake and exhausts are not covered. Surprise- Jimmy noted a wasp in the vicinity. No pilot with any experience would buy that plane at any price without at least a "C check." AKA an extensive maintenance check.
I worked as a flight instructor at the Addison airport in Dallas, Texas in the 90’s. These thing were ridiculously LOUD!!!
20 series were barely Stage 2 airplanes. But it's the Sound of Freedom!!
30 series were whisperjets by comparison, Stage 3 from the get-go thanks to those lovely Garrett 731s
Learjet...best airplane of my youth. Spent 5 years (79-84) in my 20's flying 20 series Lear's. After some development, this airplane ended up with the Softflite version of the wing. I only flew the Softflite on the 24E and 25D and not the earlier Mark II and Century III wing. Yeah, that's a wing fence that helps keep airflow detachment inboard, but more importantly are the BLE's in front of the ailerons. The boundary layer energizers kept the faster upper surface airflow attached to the wing and delayed the aileron buzz (high frequency flutter) that helped crater several Lear's installed with stupid overspeed defeat switches. I wish I could find a video of the aileron buzz they showed us in Wichita at Safeflight...an eye opener to anyone dumb enough to think they were a test pilot.
Somewhere between the 24B and 24E they lost the stylish (but useless) "bullet" tail... I liked that styling detail... nice Mid-Century touch... like fins on cars, lol.
I enjoyed a 23 n 24 from 87 to 92. Best flying in my life. We loved those birds.
My father was a test pilot for Learjet, and eventually moved to Eaton Corp to fly. I believe he was involved with the Softflite modifications. I grew up flying with him all over the country, until regulations prohibited it in the mid-80s. Rough life!
@@ntldr2005 I remembered after commenting that I did fly that 25D with a Century III wing and then we took it to get modified to the Softflite. I sincerely tip my hat to your Dad, something to be proud of for sure.
LOL the good old ‘go fast switch”…IIRC a circuit breaker to kill the stick puller. Yup, bad idea, sure its got the thrust to get to .83 or .86 but then you hit turbulence/wave/etc then Mach tuck, aileron snatch/buzz…rookie/‘test pilot’ then puts the boards out to recover, then it ‘tucks’ even worse.
BUT fly it by the book and you’re rewarded with the very best, and one of the safest of light jets imho. Just amazing numbers especially considering it was designed 60-odd years back when Lodestars and DC-3s were the typical corporate transports…
That clamshell on the engine exhaust is called a thrust reverser.
They gained a reputation as a "tube mailer for businessmen" for a reason. The fan engines on the 35 were a big step up from the 23, 25 series which gave a much longer reach with range.
There are nice worn 35's out there at a reasonable price. Drop a couple of Million $ and you got a rocket with zero time engines, new interior and Garmin 3000 avionics. In the jet world for 2.5 million $ you have a jet that leaves almost everyone wishing they had your climb; speed, & a 51,000 ft service ceiling
No existing STC for a g3000 in a L35 but universal avionics had an upgrade done for the C-21A which brought it up to modern standards.
L35 service ceiling is only 45k
Agree. L35 is 450.
@@rmoore7734
It will go to 390 ANY TIME, 410 most of the time and 450 when it's cold (ISA minus at least 10) up there.
A gm ignition key with the octagonal head would open every Lear in the country when 35’s were new.
“Vince Neil Aviation.” I remember it well, based out of Vegas. He owned numerous aircraft and made them all “Rock N Roll Themed.” Over the years Vince made a lot of bad investments but being a “1099-Rock Star,” he needed the deductions…
Vince also sold black hair dye, in China.
@@andylowe2725 what??? HAHA
This jet was taken because Vince Neil had a charter service in Vegas that went belly-up and he owed taxes he couldn't pay, so the plane was confiscated to pay for the taxes. His plane was to fly in his rock star buddies all over the states and the Caribbean. But that didn't work out too well obviously.
Where did you get your information from? I looked everywhere and it says nothing you said about they took his jet.
@@darrenkellman5780 Found it. Look for "Rock Star Launches Air Charter Service"
And now Mr Neil is too "rotund" to fit in a 35.
Sounds like Vince won out on that one then, this plane paid his debt, then within a few years I'm guessing the EPA shut these birds down because of noise. Hed have lost a million dollar plane
Not strictly true. Vince was involved with a Scottsdale based 135 operator but was not the principal. The hope was his name would generate more business. However the Vince Neil fleet were on Aero Jet Services AOC.
If the AOC went bust then the planes would have been seized, but it wasn’t Vince as the principal owner.
One of the last 35s/tip tank Lears made I would guess. Dee Howard reversers were considered superior to those made by Aeronca. The fences/boundary layer energizers/strakes/AoA probes mentioned on this bird were collectively known as the 'Century III/Softflight' wing which were there to aid in high Mach/low speed handling. There were several variations of these features, original 'straight' wing on early 23/25/25 and some 35s, with thinner leading edges and Boeing-style vortex generators just in front of the ailerons, Dee Howard/Raisbeck 'Mark II', Century I,II,III, etc.
I miss flying them. True pilot's airplanes.
According to FlightAware tracking history N21VN flew on April 30 2024. Registration still shows the tail number assigned to Lear 35A-560.
Come on Jimmy. $64,000? I’m surprised that you have not bid on it already. Save the Learjet! This would be a great long-term project for the channel. What could possibly go wrong?
Be careful of what you say. Jimmy and this jet are like an alcoholic sitting in front of a full bottle of fine Scotch.
Deja vu from the Elvis jet lol
It'll never fly again.
6:07
He is waiting for the price to exceed $200,000.00.
From what I could research Vince Neil ran an air charter service, Vince Neil Aviation out of Las Vegas, from 2010-2019. This plane looks to have been used by it for an unknown period of time, likely under a lease arrangement. But there is no record of Vince Neil actually owning the aircraft.
You are correct. He had a charter company based out of Vegas. He along with a couple of partners owned it. I have known Vince casually since the 80’s from my days in Radio and television. I think he acquired a total of three or four planes.
@@kobartlettyeah ok we all believe you
@@hulkhoganstights6596 Naughty
This aircraft was sold by the government in 2014 as surplus. It was bought by a museum and sold to the current owner in 2017 and is in west Palm Beach. The engines are Garrett TFE731-2-2B
@@kobartlett there were at least 3 business jets I could track down that Neil's company had converted to "Rock star style luxury charters" for his company. This Lear 35A (N21VN), a Hawker 700A (N323JK) and another Lear 35A (N58MM). They all were decorated with the same style flame decals on their noses.
Hi Jimmy, Love this video. You make me smile every time I watch . The aircraft are always interesting but it is the stories you tell that amaze me.I often think how can he improve for the next video. And you always do. Keep it up Mate !!!
I used to fly those. The engines are Garrett TFE731 that produce 3,500lbs of thrust if I remember right. The wings have stall fences, which you pointed at. The bumps are called boundary layer energizers.
197 GPH X $ 6.19 per gallon = $1219.43 per hour cost ! 💸 How about a fill up? 575 gallons x $6.19 per gallon = $3559.25 💸😲
I worked at Learjet for 7 out of 9 years. Although my tenure was after the Lear 35, the Lear 35 had Honeywell TFE 731-2 engines.
I flew Vince around to shows in this aircraft 10 years ago. Fun bird to fly!
Any idea why it was parked?
Probably cheaper to operate a newer airframe, then to pay for required upgrades and mx!
lol Vince probably hasn’t flown on this beater this century 😂
Cap!
haha, what was that like?
The fastest med-jet mission I rode in was in a 35 with a west tailwind. 589mph. Ahead of ETA, of course.
ho humm. We didn’t perk up in the cockpit until the GS broke 600 kts or 690 mph
One time, between KSAF and KBWI, I saw 640kts across the ground. It was a short trip.
I've never understood this type of boasting about a high groundspeed. Why not just say: i once had a 170 knot tailwind. I guess that doesn't impress people enough? Because on the return trip now you're doing 310 knots gs. No one ever brags about that, right?
You comment is totally fair, but it is fun to realize you are above the speed of sound across the ground.@@toddsmith8608
@@mmayes9466 I bet you made the big jet jocks sick with jealousy, overhauling them.
The Lear 35 was my first type rating. I flew Lear 35s for an air ambulance company out of Fort Lauderdale. Such a cramped cockpit, but hella fun to fly.
Love your enthusiasm and gesticulation, reminds me of Scotty Kilmer, another person that enjoys making youtube videos. If you have an automotive question he is the Dr. of Drs. in his field.
Jimmy I very well may have flown on that airplane. Back in 1987 before the US Army bought the last 2 Gulfstream G III's made the USAF would provide Lear 35's to transport the Secretary of the Army who I worked for and traveled with. The Lear 35 was uncomfortable to travel in as we usually had 5 or 6 folks traveling with the Secretary. The cabin was very short and the luggage compartment was behind the small bench seat across the back of the cabin. You had to lay half of the back seat down and lay the 3 seats along the aisle on the left side of the aircraft down pull out a mat from the luggage compartment and slide the luggage along the mat and store in the compartment. Real PIA. When we got our own G III's with Army CW4 Warrant Officers as pilots life got way easier.
GIII nice step up! And yes, that would be awesome.
From a noise perspective the 35A is legal. It’s listed as stage 3 approved and that is the current requirement for operating aircraft 75,000 lbs or less certified prior to a certain date. The real issue with that airframe is any pending MRO requirement to get it and keep it airworthy.
Screw the Elvis jet, as a metal kid of the 80s who was a huge Crue fan, I'd love to own a piece of this. Thoroughly cleaned first, of course 😂
The FAA mandatory noise restriction was implemented around 2013, but applies to TURBOJET aircraft not modified to comply with the Stage 3 requirements. The 20 series Learjets with the GE CJ-610 engines fell into that category.
The sweet Garrett 731s are high-bypass turbofans and are quieter and stage 3 compliant.
That particular engine powers many different jet aircraft.
2013.....of course.
They (BizJet?) did come out with a 'hush kit' for the 20 series but the expense/performance hit coupled with the age of the airframes meant very few were modified.
Also too there was a Williams engine swap but I can't imagine the high altitude performance/expense/aging airframe would have made that tenable...so in the end the 20s like all other grand old turbojet planes flew South😀
And a geared turbofan, at that-the TFE-731 along with the Lycoming ALF-502, almost 50 years before Pratt's PW1000 series. An elegant but complex solution to getting fan/turbine/compressor stages to turn at their happiest speeds.
How rock and roll is that to have your private jet grounded because its too loud
I was in the Air Force and I got the chance to fly in this beast from VA to FL. The pilot did a max climb of sorts and it was awesome!
Wing on those Lear jets is so strong, built around a fighter design I believe.
Yeah , there were hard points built in the wing to attach a pylon for various equipment.
The fuselage fuel tanks are actually in the belly. There are also tanks in the wings and on some ER (extended range) they had another fuel cell in the very back of the fuselage. Also, the door isn’t powered electronically, they’re manually operated. It was probably locked.
Lear 35s absolutely had electronic locks. I remember my dad unlocking and locking the one he flew for a number of years in the ‘80s when I was a kid.
There was no belly fuel. There was an aft fuel tank.
Doors aren't power operated but if I'm not mistaken the doors are drawn tight with an electric motor. Been a lot of years since I've worked on them but It seems I recall someone stealing a motor out of one I had aog to keep a charter flying. It was returned with a payment for use but that operator almost went to prison for that.
Aft trunk tank
@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 you are correct, it was tip tanks and under the back seat and baggage floor in the 20-30 series I was thinking of the 55&60 with a trunk tanks.
Add it to the fleet of rock star RV conversions.
I used to pilot these for the Air Force. They were fast and fun to fly. Really, really fun
Vince Neil the rock star hit rock bottom in 2005 when he filed for bankruptcy after mounting up a whopping $1.5 million in debts, including $4,400 in IRS claims.
aw ha, he even went broke once too. Those guys like him blew all their money in the 80's, they even admitted it.
$1.5 million is nothing for Vince Neil. His cars are worth more than that. If he had to go bankrupt over a 1.5 million debt, he’d be living in a motel 6 level broke. Vince isn’t hurting at all.
@@Cr16604 ok, that is true, plus motley still sells albums and their recent tours.
@@Cr16604 you might wanna research how shit went from good to shockingly bad then to being good again as he is now,
@ yea, all those numbers look good on paper. That’s about all they are, it’s how rich people screw people over on debts, and still remain rich. 1.5 million…$450,000, and whatever else he claimed to go bankrupt over is Chump
Change to Vince Neil. I’m not glorifying him, I just know how it is. Things may have looked bad on paper, but he was never personally hurting the way a normal person would if they were in the same situation. His
Lavish lifestyle probably never missed a beat.
I worked at airports for 15 years thats a solid corporate jet real work horse someone should definitely buy and bring it back to service.
Yes Garrett TFE731. Nice find Jimmy. That aircraft is in about as good of shape as Vince Neil’s voice these days.
But the fuselage on the plane is slimmer than Vince's.
If we were comparing the condition of an airplane to Vince's voice these days, we'd be looking at an old Convair 580 sitting on pallets at Davis-Monthan.
I thought you were going to say liver
Have traveled a few times on these older lears. They take off like a rocket and are extremely smooth in the air. Not the most room but a cool plane to be a passenger on back in the day.
Probably the closest to military level performance you can get in a civil transport. The 24B I flew weighed around 7000 pounds empty but had almost 6000 pounds of thrust (The CJ-610 turbojet was a non-afterburning version of the J85 engine used in the F-5/T-38/A-37). Even at the gross weight of 13000pounds it would climb directly to 45000' in about 25 minutes, on a hot day. They were such fun...
@@johnparrot4426 i just remember how quickly we were at altitude and hoe easliy the plane maneuvered in the sky. It was definitely enjoyable.
I know it will never fly again but a "will it start" video on this would be awesome! Thanks for The great content mate!!!
Why will it never fly? Too expensive to fix? Not airworthy? What?
The 35s are prone to corrosion and it’s a complicated and expensive fix. Think there are also some mods that need doing, sure someone will know what exactly. The engines are really expensive ($200k!?!) to overhaul if they are out of hours. Bet there is no history (logbooks) for the plane which also complicates things. 😀👋🇬🇧
@@buttonmonkey6845 The cure? Deep pockets. Buckets of currency, paper printed out of thin air back by NOTHING.
@@thyslop1737 IF the airframe is in airworthy condition, and given the corrosion Jimmy showed us on the belly it probably isn't, you are still talking 500k to redo the engines, 800 k for the hush-kit, probably another 250 k at least for avionics.
you could make it fly if you really wanted to, but it just isn't worth the money it would take to get it in the air.
you can get much better planes for the 1.5 million it would cost.
@@mazwa2007 I have a check right now in my back pocket for 2 million just burning a hole in my pocket. Maybe I should take the plunge.
Due to the Crue previously owning this jet I would burn any soft furnishings and then a wipe down with industrial strength disinfectant...
Wonderful aircraft! I moved from the Cessna 310 into Learjet models 24/25/35 and finally the 55. Happy memories. The 24D was a rocket ship!
I flew 25, 35, and 36s as a Captain. This is such a cool plane! It’s too bad this plane couldn’t get back in the air. Also, you don’t need power to get the door open. You need it to get the door closed up to fly. Just FYI. I Love this channel! Please keep making videos!
Well, you'll need power if the hooks were still engaged and the door was pulled tight...
@@seanoswa1829 True. But on the 35s, you can only run the hook motor from the inside of the plane. The only other way out is the over wing emergency exit which looked intact. That said, I’ve had to break into a plane using the emergency exit because the hooks came down and were catching on the top half of the door, so you very well could be correct.
Correct the motor pulls the 2 doors together and into fuselage .
@@benseamans1972 Sorry boss, gonna have to disagree with you.
On the 30 series, as well as 20's, bottom door has key slot. When turned, key operates motor; motor pulls down hooks. Close top handle & back-off hooks as desired; been locking'm this way for decades.
If lower hook are over top door and left battery (as I recall) has pooped, then ya gotta problem--I've had to swap rt to lt battery a couple of times because entry/bag lights were left "on".
Ever had to use the 7/16" socket to get the hooks released because the motor died? This sux! And yes, I've gone through the over-wing a few times. Almost rather put the masks back together when turning the O2 knobs the wrong direction!
Cheers!
@@seanoswa1829 Oh wow. Well, none of the 25, 35, or 36 I flew had one. A couple of the planes so flew did have on the top half a rotary lever door latch that could be locked using a key, but that was it. This is why I think this plane is so interesting. On top of its high performance, they were so customizable from the factory, and then owners added/ removed/ changed so much, that each plane is unique. I don’t even remember reading in the manual that a key slot to run the hooks from the outside was even an option. (Last time I studied the manual was more than just a few years ago though, so there’s that lol) Thanks for the info.
Looks very similar to a jet the famous Cal Worthington bought. This was the first Lear I fueled while working at an FBO in Chico California. No one told me you needed to do 25 gallons at a time. I was filling the left tank I didn’t notice it was getting close to the ground, and the right wing was way up in the air. I figured it out. But had to use a ladder to get to the tank on the right side
You would put 250 into one side then go over to the other side and top it then go back to the other side if it was a full load. I never did 25 gallons at a time, and never tipped one.
His dog Spot flew in style!
I think the manuals said 100 per side then switch unless both were filling simultaneously
@@groundopsnick2758 may have been. This was 1982. I can’t remember anything but getting yelled at then having to climb a ladder just to get to the right side nacelle. I was also adding Prist anti bacterial and it was dark. So I was more concerned about my test the next day ( I was an engineering student at the time)
@@Badafuco805-AK we used to say “here’s Cal Worthington and his co pilot Spot!”
The 35 hads no issues with noise resyrictions. It was the older lear jets with the smallet rocket engines. The 731 engine on the 35 is fine
Not at KSMO. We had to be really careful to not "ding the bell". We had a special briefing and procedure for that airport.
From what I've been able to read from the FAA I would agree with you, but there must be a good reason its only 65k - which may explain the reason you can't open the door!
That’s what I thought. The 20 series was the loud one.
Again: You MUST have battery power to open the door.@@jamescronin7742
Vince owned a small air charter service that he had hoped would see fans using it to travel in the style of a “rockstar”. Decked out interiors etc. he would also use the planes for his own tours. Many of his businesses (Booze, clothing, restaurants and this Charter) failed and saw bankruptcy. Hence the auction (I assume).
You are correct. He has had more failed businesses than he has fingers and toes. Even after all of his bankruptcies, his bankruptcy attorney sued him for non-payment of fees😛.
He was just a few years too early, JSX and a few others are now growing like crazy.
Great plan - because 99% of motley creu fans are 13 y.o. boys getting rides from mom.
@@purplesprigs HA!
30 years ago, I worked for Doug Jaffe, doing building and equipment maintenance at his hanger in San Antonio, which was one of four depot level facilities in the world for Boeing 707s. Doug got filthy rich developing hush kits for 707s a decade earlier, before they were forced out of the country for noise. This hanger was also the site of development for the Swearingen SJ30, and I got to see the results of them firing the chicken cannon at it! (Blood and feathers.) So many fun memories there, such as tugging a 707 across the ramp, and using an air start to fire up the engines on two other 707s.
The wing fences were installed to prevent air from flowing spanwise toward the tip. Same thing on the MiG
Yeah, I'm gonna buy a 40 year old jet with Commodore 64 avionics, that has been rotting in the desert, and has Vince Neil's 40 year old used condoms and Jack Daniels whiskey stains all over its interior. I'll pass.
If it's been in the desert, that's it's only saving grace.
Imagine all the THC resin on the walls of that bad boy lol
Among other things! That might not have been Florida on the window and Jimmy stuck his fingers in it, Eew!
I'm on board for the scraping crew. BYOP, Bring Your Own Pipe.
I imagine that's why Vince had to park the plane, because fueling it up was cutting into the dope bill.
All that resin residue added so much weight that usable capacity was just the pilot.
Me and my coworkers roofed a guy's house and he turned out to be the head of California Lear jet service ( long defunct) and he was going to give us all a free ride in a Lear35 and show us what the plane was like and what it could do.... Never happened. They had 3 Lear 35's at the local airport and I would go to the hangers every couple of weeks and talk to mechanics and pilots and they all said that guy was all talk. But it was fun to go inside the aircraft and learn about it from those guys. Circa 1987
Ain't Seen Motley Crue Live Since 1992 , I pray they are flying higher now with a modern up to date Jet Plane.
Actually my personal jet, a Cessna Citation 2, is older than that aircraft and it flies great. The limiting factor on the Lear would be corrosion and the amount of money you want to throw into it.
Oh WOW a Slowtation owner is here!
@@sophiejaysstuff4026 Well I might be (relatively) slow, but I do own a jet! It's actually around the same speed as a Honda Jet, but for a lot less money. The Lear is definitely faster. I have type ratings in the Lear and the Citation.
Amazing! Thank god you told us about your personal jet
@@hulkhoganstights6596 Yes well please tell us about yours too. My contention is that the plane isn't so old that it can't be brought back to airworthy standards. The biggest problem is the lack of logbooks. Without them, the plane isn't even worth the parts, since many are time limited.
Well somebody has those logbooks, and it is illegal to fly the AC withoutthem being onboard. So somebody needs to investigate who had access after it's last Flight Aware documented flight earlier this year. It may a federal criminal theft offense for who has them to posess them. They stay with the AC.
That's an amazing find! That's awesome, you should bid on it! Another legendary find.
Vince probably couldn't squeeze through that door rn.
COULD HE EVER? up for debate
I worked at the Gates Lear Jet company in Wichita Kansas in 1979. Worked the router shop second shift. Ran Brake Arm Router. It was good work and good people to work with. The Longhorn Lear was just getting started back then. Crying ass shame they went out of business.
It sure would have been nice to look inside.
Jimmy if this early Lear 35 was registered as "Experimental" could it be flown without having to have the $800,000 mufflers installed?
It doesn't need mufflers
Such a classic. Definitely one of the most attractive airframes ever to grace the skies.
You forgot to mentioned that the Lear 35 is one of the fewest plane capable to go all the way up to the level 51. I've been there on a Lear 55 and it's incredible. Also that version there has a wide door, which is a great advantage for an air ambulance, for example. I don't think the noise was the issue for that plane to be seating there. There are plenty of Lear 35s operating all over the world including the US.
It’s capable but not practical. On a hot day forget it.
@@trekadvisor2865 - Been there, done that as a flight nurse. Sweat like a field hand in August.
510 in a 55?
@@Craigjordan121 yea right
A 35 was only certified to FL450. It had a 510 pressurization system.
They flew it to fort pierce from Tampa at 400mph this past April ‘24. I don’t see any problems. Now where’s my checkbook?
Looks really awesome on the inside too! Thanks for showing us the inside.
I didn’t see the inside at all. He couldn’t get in🤣
Still the coolest looking plane ever made.
Very cool! I used to work for Garrett Aviation (McArthur Airport) back in the 90's and this really takes me back. Back then I was part of a crew that worked on Lear 31's and 35's and most had Garrett TFE731 engines. We also had an engine shop and test cell that did full overhauls. Yo Pete!
Every weekend our customer Airnet would schedule an engine change due to TBO and it was a rush job from Friday to Monday morning. Fun times back then.
Long Island ?
@@CFITOMAHAWK yes
If it won’t fly again I wouldn’t buy it but that’s me I love these videos
Great deal, Jimmy. And for another $800,000.00 it could be airworthy 😮
My father worked his entire career at Combs Gates, later AMR Combs, later Bombardier. They were in FBO for learjets. I believe it was the 25s and the 35s that were just rocket ships. Like Ferraris in the sky, could get right up next to the speed of sound. They were loud, and they were fast and they were well-built.
The engines are TFE731s. Originally developed under Garrett/AiResearch. They were merged with Allied Signal who was later merged with Honeywell. Those engines are still produced to this day. Albeit in far smaller numbers now. They are great engines, producing around 4700 lbs of thrust and weighing in with around 850 pounds (depending on dash number). I'd be curious to know the engine S/N numbers. I know a few older gentlemen that probably had a hand in building them.
They're really interesting engines as well (if you're into that kind of thing!). They're geared turbofans, so similar to the Pratt and Whitney GTF that powers the new a320neo. Quite advanced for their day.
I've heard of L39 owners putting in the modern equivalent of the Garrett TFE731s which are now made by Honeywell. The Honeywell variants were on the Bombardier Learjet 45 with the proprietary DEEC (Digital Electronic Engine Control - basically a FADEC) which paired with the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite in the 45. What some L39 owners did was take out the old Soviet-era engine and APU and put the TFE731 with the DEEC unit which allowed for battery start and increased the MOTW by about 1000lbs and allowed for more fuel to be carried increasing the range as well as a more efficient/powerful engine which increased speed/altitude capabilities and turned the L39 into a very capable IFR cruiser as well as a mainstay on the air show circuit and in many civilian military contractors which provided aggressor pilots to go up against Hornets, Vipers and Raptors in training exercises.
@@happypapi1903 Well that is a very interesting tidbit.
I’ve said this before. RUN JIMMY RUN. Far away as fast as you can!
With over 7k flight hours on a PC simulator I believe I'm certified to fly this bad boy..
I'll bet you're also big hit with the ladies. Flying a high performance aircraft and hot ladies irl, are certainly not the same as practicing solo with your pillow or in your bathroom mirror. IRL, if you Fup, you crash and burn. In fantasyland, you're just a legend in your pooh. Real men don't splash around in their pooh. And real women have no interest in such 4 year old kids playing with their pooh. Real women like real men with a great missile and how to control and use it proficiently to blast them off, before you do.
1:46 That shiny part right there is called the Leading Edge. But yes you're right. For anti/de icing air is bled from engines and sent under there
Jimmy I just spent Thanksgiving in Franklin TN and my mother-in-law who is friends with the former pilot for motley Crew and talked about this jet she flew for the often .. they are coming down to Fl this winter and should do an bud with them ! Her husband is also a pilot
I've flown critical care air transport missions in a C-21. It is crowded, but it gets the mission done.
Compared to what you paid for the Elvis jet, this is a bargain.
That would be 'over paid' for the alleged Elvis jet.
I once knew an A&P mechanic. I used that phrase to him and he told me there's no such thing as a "perfectly good" aircraft. There's always something wrong, even if it's just a little thing,
I've flown in a small Lear as a flight nurse. The interior is like a cigar tube.
I used to work for Garrett Aviation (ISP NY) as an A&P back in the 90's. We had a saying that Lears were built from empty beer cans.
Mechanics say that about everything from cars to bicycles to vacuum sweepers.
@@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364 - I couldn't possibly argue with that, having owned various cars, bicycles and vacuum cleaners over the years.
@@rocknewtonfilsterwilly7364 well we didn't say that about the Hawkers Falcons or Gulfstreams we worked on. I guess it's a standard industry term for flimsy design
I’ve heard Lears aren’t particularly good and have some unusual flight characteristics too. That medical flight crew that crashed into KSEE apparently learned that stall lesson the hardest way possible.
You'll never be able to vacuum all the coke out of that upholstery
Stumbled across this video, what an entertaining and informative host. Great stuff.
Garrett TFE-731-2-2B's most likely. Vince now owns another 35A!
Got about 1500 hours in a 35. Great airplane, fun to fly but will kill you in a hurry if you get complacent. They’re TFE 731-2-2b engines.
Would love to see a video of how you got started! How did you get the cash flo to mess with these awesome flying machines!?! Personally I don't care if you started off rich or went rags to riches to get involved in this I think it would be interesting to know! What is important is you love what you do❤
How about modern jet engines on the Lear Jet? Surely not impossible.
@@travelbugse2829you could do it, but there are other time limited items on the plane like gear etc…just wouldn’t be worth the expense.
CHECK OUT THIS INFO: "When the iconic Learjet first flew in October 1963, it heralded the beginning of an era of luxurious, chic, and fast executive jets. The Learjet 23 was so quick-with a top speed of 561 mph and a 3G rate of climb at 6,900 feet per minute-that only frontline U.S. Air Force and Navy fighters outperformed it."
Knew Bill from my business in Reno and the Reno air races as they were back in the 70's. Good guy.
Man you are great on camera and talk really well…really entertaining and watchable.