![]()
The Around the World Crew has departed on its fundraising journey, taking off in the early hours on Thursday from Wichita, Kansas to circumnavigate the globe to raise money to restore the first-ever Learjet to be delivered, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the first-ever around the world flight on April 6, 1924.RELATED STORY:Around the world flight raising money for Learjet 23 restoration
The Classic Lear Jet Foundation and air ambulance operator Global Jet Care paired up to embark on a historic fundraising trip. Global Jetcare's Learjet 36 (N41GJ) took off from Wichita flying west and will make 11 stops over the next two days in California, Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Singapore, India, Dubai, Egypt, Italy, Portugal and Canada before returning to Wichita on the 100th anniversary of the first around the world flight on April 6. In the 100 years since the first circumnavigation, technological advances and modern planes will allow the crew to fly this mission in just 54 hours and 30 minutes, compared to the 175 days and 74 stops in 1974.TRACK THE FLIGHT HERE
The fundraising flight took off from the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT), landing net in Salinas, California (SNS) and then Kailua/Kona, Hawaii (HKO). The crew has been making good time, departing Hawaii and heading for the Marshall Islands at the time this article is published. Live tracking shows the Learjet traveling at about 37,000 ft at 417 mph, flying west-southwest. Crew members include Bart Gray from Global Jetcare, Joshua Podlich, Kirby Ezelle, flight instructor/adventure pilot John Bone and Joel Weber from the Classic Learjet Foundation. The crew has been all smiles in the Facebook updates along the way.
The mission began in Wichita, the location where the first Learjet was delivered in 1964. Unlike all of the previous circumnavigation flights that flew eastbound, the crew is traveling westbound. This makes it more difficult as the plane will be flying into headwind instead of having a tailwind. There is not a record for this route, adding another challenge to other planes in the same category attempting to break their record.
The Classic Lear Jet Foundation has a mission to restore the Learjet 23, serial number 23-003. The foundation wants to keep the plane in flying condition in honor of the plane, company and founder who inspired so many. The success of the Learjet 23 led to the development of other designs for the company, which were integral for the blossoming business aviation industry in the 1960s and 70s. This model inspired other jets like the Model 24, which flew around the world and broke 18 international aviation records.
The first Learjet 23 was introduced in 1964 and production ended in 1966 after 101 had been delivered. By 1998, there were only an estimated 39 still in use. There were 27 that were lost or damaged beyond repair through accidents. Learjet was acquired by Bombardier in 1990 and the final Learjet 75 was delivered in March 2022. The end of an era allowed Bombardier to focus on other lines, like the Global or Challenger series aircraft.
In January, the foundation began to disassemble the 23. The team focused on the nose, removing the avionics and 02/nitrogen bottles for inspection and to be then taken into storage. The horizontal stabilizer was brought out of storage and reunited with the jet. The money raised from The Century Mission flight and every contribution will bring the foundation another step closer to restoring the Learjet to flying condition.