Latest news with #ClassicLearJetFoundation
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Learjet crew returns after record-setting Polar flight
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Touching down in ICT on Monday, a Learjet has become the first plane of its kind to perform a polar circumnavigation. The trip took the four-pilot crew five days to complete, as they flew from the Southern Polar Region to the Northern. Through exhaustion, five continents, and weather delays, the crew landed back on the same runway they took off from, and as they touched solid ground for the first time in two days, they received a hero's welcome. 'That tin can right there gets smaller and smaller each hour you spend in it,' pilot on the Polar Mission, Josh Podlich, said. Taking off from Wichita on Thursday, the original flight plan was supposed to get them home in three days. Weather delays in Argentina stalled them, and extended the trip from a Saturday touchdown to a Monday one. Captain Bart Gray oversaw the flight as the wheels set down on tarmac after 23,000 miles and 58 hours of flight time. 'We've been in the airplane for about two and a half days, so a shower is definitely at the top of the list,' Gray said. REAL ID enforcement starts this week: 5 things to know Across the five continents they stopped in, his crew got a bird's eye view of oceans, mountains and glaciers. 'You cross a waterway, and you approach a landmass and it's solid ice and snow as far as the eye can see. The uninterrupted mountains and terrains, it's gorgeous. Untouched by humans,' Podlich said. Their four-foot-tall, ten-foot-long cabin became a well-oiled machine of work and sleep. Everybody kind of does their part, and then we're all just excited to get moving … When you're in the airplane, you're either sitting in the cockpit talking to the other guy or sleeping in the back,' Gray said. In the crowd waiting on the tarmac were pilot Kirby Ezelle's wife and daughter. 'They got me. It was great. I did not expect to see her and my wife here, that was nice, a great surprise,' Ezelle said. They say their hard work paid off, but the Learjet crew is just happy to set foot back on solid ground. 'It's a testament to the airplane. It's a testament to the airplane that Bill Lear built,' Gray said. The Classic Lear Jet Foundation aims for the mission to drive attention and funds to their cause of restoring the first Learjet sold in Wichita to flight conditions. You can watch a live interview with the Learjet captain below: For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Learjet Polar Mission continues after weather delay
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Learjet 36A that took off from Wichita Wednesday evening is getting closer to making it to the South Pole after a weather delay in Argentina. The Learjet Polar Mission crew planned to fly to the South Pole, then the North Pole, and return to Wichita on Saturday. However, the weather delay means the arrival in Wichita will likely be sometime on Sunday. 'No Learjet has ever attempted such an aggressive mission over both poles,' Rick Rowe, public relations for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation, said. Spirit AeroSystems to lay off workers due to backlog The flight is to raise funds for the restoration of Lear Jet 23-003, the first Lear Jet ever sold in the Air Capital, back when the company was called Lear Jet instead of Learjet. Rowe says the Lear Jet 23-003 started the business jet industry in Wichita. Global Jetcare, an air ambulance service in Florida, volunteered its plane, and four of the company's pilots are taking turns flying the mission. You can track the journey at You can also get updates from the crew on the Classic Lear Jet Foundation Facebook page. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First-ever Learjet Polar Mission departs Wichita, raises $100k for restoration
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Learjet flying to the South Pole, then to the North Pole, took off from Wichita Wednesday night. It's an effort to raise money for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation to restore the first-ever Learjet delivered. A flight captain on the crew said that it's the first-ever Lear Jet to make this journey. Brenda Lear, the widow of Bill Lear Jr.—the son of Lear Jet's founder—was in attendance. She became emotional as the plane was named in honor of her late husband. 'I'm going to cry for allowing this flight to be the William Powell Lear Junior Mission, Polar Mission,' Lear said. The emotion behind keeping Wichita aviation history alive. 'This is a pretty unique, new experience for all of us,' Polar Mission Captain Bart Gray said. He said more than a year of planning for their crew of four to make history was well worth it. 'A lot of late nights and all-night working on this and thinking about it; now that it's finally here, this town is amazing. When it comes to Wichita, no matter who you talk to, they're tied to aviation, which is such a cool place to be,' Gray said. Bart's co-captain, Joshn Podlich, said they successfully raised their goal of $100,000 for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation. It will be used to restore the first-ever Learjet delivered, the Lear 23, Serial Number 3. 'It's important to keep the name alive however possible; that way, the leader of business aviation, the first Learjets, aren't forgotten and don't go by the wayside,' Podlich said. Bill Lear Jr. had special hats made before his passing so he would still be in the air. His wife is giving the final one to the crew before takeoff. Her way of knowing they'll make it back to Wichita, safe. Kansas WWII paratrooper to make his final jump this weekend 'This is going to keep everybody safe on the flight, because they're taking Bill Jr. with them,' Lear said. The crew shared that they hope it is clear over Antarctica for them to get a glimpse of the South Pole. They plan to land back in Wichita this Saturday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Pole to pole: A Learjet will soon leave Wichita on a worldwide mission
A Learjet will depart from Wichita this week as pilots try to fly to the South Pole, then the North Pole and back to Wichita in three days. The 'Polar Mission,' more formally known as polar circumnavigation, is a trip through both poles. The flight was organized by the Classic Lear Jet Foundation based in Wichita. 'No Learjet has ever attempted this aggressive mission,' foundation spokesperson Rick Rowe said. The Rockwell Polar Flight in November 1965 was the first to complete a circumnavigation. The mission is intended to raise money to restore Lear Jet 23-003, the first Learjet to ever be delivered to a customer on Oct. 13, 1964, Rowe said in a phone call. The foundation is in the early stages of restoration and is dismantling the plane. Rowe could not say how much it would cost to restore it. 'We have to take all the wiring, plumbing, flight control cables and all the insulation out of the fuselage,' Rowe said. 'In other words, just make it, make it a skeleton.' The Learjet 36A that will be flown across the world landed at Stearman Airfield in Benton on April 24. It will depart on April 30 and will return May 3. The funding and plane were provided by Global Jetcare, an air ambulance company based in Florida. Bart Gray is the CEO of Global Jetcare and the vice president of the Classic Lear Jet Foundation. 'He is an avid Learjet pilot and a real aficionado of Learjet airplanes,' Rowe said. 'He is the one who suggested we do this and has done all the planning for it.' Gray, along with three other pilots, will take turns flying the plane on the polar mission. 'At each stop on the flight, the crew will perform research by placing a scale on the wing of the plane to help determine if the Earth is bigger on the Equator and document it,' the foundation said. There are 12 stops on the route, a flight path graphic shows. Lear Jet was founded in 1962 by William Powell. It was later renamed Learjet. Bombardier acquired the company in 1990 and announced the end of production for all models in 2021, bringing roughly 60 years of Learjet history to an end. Lear Jet 23-003 has historical significance. 'Business aviation was alive and well in 1962 to 1964 when Bill Lear first came to town and started building the jet,' Rowe said. 'But during that time they were flying piston prop planes, so when Bill got the Lear all figured out and designed and engineered and delivered, the world became a lot smaller because this airplane would go twice as far, twice as fast than the business aviation airplanes at that time.' The Learjet used two General Electric turbojet engines. Rowe added: 'It's iconic to civilian aviation as a business jet, just as Doc [B29] is to military aviation.' A real-time tracker will be available to view the plane's route after it departs from Wichita at
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Learjet 36A to attempt world-record Polar Mission starting in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Learjet 36A will take off from Wichita next week, head to the South Pole and then the North Pole, and return to Wichita in just three days. Organizers say it will be a world record flight for a Learjet and sanctioned by the National Aeronautics Association. 'No Learjet has ever attempted such an aggressive mission over both poles,' Rick Rowe, public relations for the Classic Lear Jet Foundation, said. The flight is to raise funds for the restoration of Lear Jet 23-003, the first Lear Jet ever sold in the Air Capital, back when the company was called Lear Jet instead of Learjet. Rowe says the Lear Jet 23-003 started the business jet industry in Wichita. Kansas fifth grader uses creative ways to raise thousands for nonprofit Global Jetcare, an air ambulance service in Florida, is volunteering its Learjet 36A and crew to plan and fund the Polar Mission. Four of the company's pilots will be on the plane and take turns flying the mission. The plane will depart from Bombardier Building 14 around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30. The aircraft can carry about 1,200 gallons of fuel and will make numerous refueling stops. To get the flight approved, the Polar Mission must also include scientific research. The pilots will conduct their research at each stop along the way. The plan is to return to Bombardier Building 14 in Wichita on Saturday, May 3. You can track the journey at Rowe says the mission needs sponsors to achieve its fundraising goal for the Lear Jet 23-003 restoration. Click here to learn more. There will also be a Polar Mission Hangar Party this Saturday, April 26. Guests can meet Captain Bart Gray and the other Global Jetcare pilots and see the plane. The party is from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Stearman Field. There will be food, an open bar, live music, and Classic Lear Jet Foundation merchandise for sale. A few tickets are still available. Click here for the details. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
