The Century Mission takes off to raise funds to restore a classic Learjet

Bombardier's Winston Hoo, Operations Director, Singapore Service Centre, catches up with Joel Weber, VP of the Classic Lear Jet Foundation during a refuel stop in Singapore.

A Bombardier Learjet 36A owned by Florida-based Global Jetcare is flying around the world to raise money for the restoration of another notable Learjet – the first one to be delivered to a customer back in 1964. 

The founder of Global Jetcare, Bart Gray, along with three other pilots and an observer, took off from Wichita on April 4, 2024, will fly around the world and return to Wichita on April 6. The date was chosen to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Army Air Service’s first successful flight around the world in 1924.  

The journey will also raise funds for the historic restoration of Lear Jet 23, Serial 23-003.  

This aircraft is being restored to airworthy condition by volunteers at the Classic Lear Jet Foundation (CLJF) in Wichita. Global Jetcare has made significant contributions to the restoration efforts already, doing much of the work to prepare 23-003 for its journey by road from Florida, where it had been sitting, to CLJF in Wichita. 

Currently, the jet is being housed at Bombardier’s Building 14 in Wichita, a former Learjet delivery centre, that still services this type of aircraft. 

To donate to the Lear Jet 23 restoration or to sponsor Global Jetcare’s around-the-world flight, visit the CLJF website.