Learjet 45 Pre-Buy Inspection: What Buyers Miss — and What It Costs Them Later
Learjet 45 pre-buy inspection
The Learjet 45 is one of the most actively traded mid-size jets on the pre-owned market. Mid-2026 market data from AMSTAT, as reported by Sherpa Report, listed the Lear 45 among the top-selling medium jets in the first half of the year. Most of those airframes are now well past their 20th birthday, which means nearly every one of them is carrying real maintenance history — some of it well documented, some of it not.
That is why the Learjet 45 pre-buy inspection matters more than the asking price. A clean listing, fresh paint and a nice interior tell you almost nothing about windshield coupe rail status, landing gear calendar items, engine program coverage, or whether the radio altimeter installation will restrict where and how the aircraft can fly. Those are the items that quietly turn a good purchase into an expensive first year.
Here is how we approach a Learjet 45 pre-purchase inspection from the hangar floor: what to scope, what to pull from the records, and where buyers most often get surprised.
Why a Pre-Buy Is Not Just Another Inspection
A scheduled inspection answers one question: is this aircraft airworthy today? A pre-buy inspection has to answer a harder one: what is this aircraft going to cost me over the next two to three years, and how much of that should the seller carry?
That distinction matters more right now than it did a few years ago. JETNET’s mid-2026 market snapshot showed older aircraft taking noticeably longer to sell — the 21–25-year band averaged well over 100 days on market — and brokers are reporting that aircraft approaching major inspection, engine, landing gear or avionics events face longer marketing periods and more pricing pressure. For a buyer, that makes well-documented findings real negotiating leverage. For a seller, it means surprises found late in the deal tend to cost the most.
Scope the Inspection Before Anyone Opens a Panel
Most pre-buy disputes we see start with a vague scope, not a bad airplane.
Put the inspection level in writing
Buyer, seller and the inspecting facility should agree in writing on:
Which inspection tasks will be performed (a records-only review, a defined visual and operational check, or a scheduled inspection event from the maintenance program performed as the pre-buy)
Whether a borescope of the engines is included, or whether the engine program’s own requirements govern that
Who pays for the inspection, the ferry, fuel and any test flight
How discrepancies will be categorized, who approves corrective work, and whether that work happens during the pre-buy or after
Who receives the report and the photos
West Star Aviation has published averages of roughly 10–12 business days for the physical inspection alone, excluding discrepancy correction, and 12–15 business days for records review and reporting. Your timeline will depend on the aircraft, the scope and how organized the records are — but if a closing date assumes a three-day pre-buy, that is worth questioning early.
Use an independent shop that knows the type
A facility that already maintains the aircraft for the seller knows it well, but it is not independent. A buyer is generally better served by a Part 145 repair station with Learjet 40/45 experience that has no stake in the sale.
Records Review: Where Most Learjet 45 Deals Are Won or Lost
Physical condition can usually be fixed. Missing or unsupported records often cannot — or not cheaply. 14 CFR 91.417 sets the baseline for what maintenance records an owner must keep, and a good pre-buy review goes well beyond it:
Continuous logbooks from manufacture. Gaps in airframe, engine or APU history need an explanation, not an assumption.
AD compliance with method of compliance. “Complied with” is not enough. We want the AD, the revision, the method used, and the signed record for every recurring AD.
Service bulletin status. Some Learjet SBs drive recurring inspections or part re-identification that affect future cost even when the SB itself is not mandatory.
Tracking program vs. paper. A CAMP or other tracking report is a summary. We compare it against the actual logbook entries and work orders. The most common gap we find is an item marked complied with in the tracking program where the signed task card cannot be located.
Alterations and STCs. Form 337s, STC paperwork, Airplane Flight Manual Supplements and Instructions for Continued Airworthiness should be present for every modification installed.
Component traceability. 8130-3 tags or equivalent for time-controlled and rotable parts.
Weight and balance and equipment list. These should reflect the aircraft as it sits today.
Damage history. Any major repair should be documented with approved data.
Engines and APU
The Learjet 45 is powered by Honeywell TFE731-20 series engines, and engine program enrollment is one of the biggest value drivers on the type. Do not rely on a seller summary. Get the program status directly from the program provider, confirm the coverage level and whether it transfers to you, and understand what is and is not covered. Then confirm where each engine sits relative to its next major event — such as a CZI (core zone inspection) or MPI — using the engine records and the program’s own data. If an APU is installed, confirm its program status and records the same way.
Learjet 45-Specific Items to Put on the List
Every airframe has its own watch items. These are the Learjet 45 items we make sure are addressed during records review and physical inspection.
Verify before relying on any interval below. Task numbers, intervals and applicability change with manual and bulletin revisions and vary by serial number. Always confirm against the current Bombardier Learjet 45 maintenance manual, maintenance planning documents and service bulletins for the specific aircraft.
Windshield coupe rails
Bombardier Service Bulletin 45-56-3 called for inspection of the windshield coupe rails on the Learjet 45. As Duncan Aviation has documented, rails are re-identified based on the inspection results — either to a part number that carries a 5,000-hour recurring inspection or to one requiring no further inspection — and the recurring clock starts at re-identification. Aircraft with GKN windshields also carry a separate bolt-hole inspection. In a pre-buy we confirm the SB was accomplished, which part number the rails were re-identified to, and where the aircraft sits against any recurring requirement. This inspection involves removing the windshields, so it is not an item you want to discover right after closing.
Landing gear calendar items
The Learjet 40/45 has calendar-based inspection requirements on landing gear components, including an eight-year inspection on the main struts and main gear side-stay actuators that has historically been limited to authorized vendors. Calendar items are easy to overlook on a low-utilization aircraft. We compare the next-due date to the planned closing date and your expected first year of operation, and we confirm the supporting vendor paperwork is in the records.
Radio altimeter and 5G C-band status
This one is easy to miss because the aircraft may fly fine. FAA AD 2023-10-02 requires Airplane Flight Manual limitations on transport category airplanes whose radio altimeters are not demonstrated to be 5G-tolerant, restricting certain low-visibility approach and landing operations in the contiguous U.S. A newer AD 2026-13-02, effective July 1, 2026, adds similar limitations for non-tolerant airplanes operating in Canadian airspace. Modifying the aircraft to a radio-altimeter-tolerant configuration terminates those limitations.
In a pre-buy, ask three questions: Is this aircraft radio-altimeter tolerant? By what FAA-approved method? And is the paperwork (STC, Form 337, AFM supplement) in the records? For Learjet 40 and 45 operators, Elite Jet Solutions worked with Turbine Engine Specialists to develop STC ST12153AC, which installs the Honeywell 5G bandpass filter (P/N 68013467-101) with the RT-300 radar altimeter. Eligibility depends on the specific serial number and configuration, so confirm applicability before planning the modification.
Corrosion and structure
On any 20-plus-year-old airframe, we spend time in gear wells, around wing-to-fuselage attach areas, under floor panels where fluids collect, and around antenna installations. Where a finding needs a closer look, non-destructive testing such as dye penetrant inspection can confirm whether an indication is cosmetic or structural.
Avionics and mandates
Confirm the installed avionics configuration matches the equipment list, that ADS-B Out compliance paperwork is present, and whether navigation databases and subscriptions will transfer. Intermittent avionics faults are worth reviewing in the discrepancy history — repeated write-ups for the same system tell you more than a single ground check.
A Realistic Example
This is a composite drawn from the kinds of findings we routinely see, not a specific customer’s aircraft.
A buyer finds a Learjet 45 with engines on a program, a refreshed interior and a clean listing. The records review shows the landing gear eight-year item due four months after the planned closing, coupe rails re-identified to the recurring part number with limited hours remaining, and a radio altimeter that is not 5G-tolerant, with the AFM limitation inserted. None of these ground the airplane today. Each one is a known cost and a known block of downtime that belongs in the negotiation — not in the new owner’s first-year budget.
Turning Findings Into Decisions
A useful pre-buy report does not just list discrepancies. It sorts them so you and your broker can act on them:
Airworthiness items — discrepancies that affect airworthiness and typically need to be corrected before delivery, as your purchase agreement defines.
Near-term due items — inspections, ADs, SBs and calendar items coming due in the first 12–24 months, with estimated cost and downtime.
Condition items — wear, cosmetic and comfort items that affect value but not airworthiness.
Ask the inspecting shop for estimated man-hours and downtime on the near-term items, not just a list. Your broker and aviation attorney can then decide how those findings are handled in the deal.
Learjet 45 Pre-Buy Quick Checklist
Written scope, including borescope, test flight and discrepancy handling
Independent Part 145 repair station with Learjet 40/45 experience
Complete logbooks since manufacture, with gaps explained
AD list with method of compliance and recurring signoffs
Tracking program reconciled against paper records
Engine and APU program status confirmed directly with the provider
Coupe rail SB status and re-identified part numbers
Landing gear calendar items against the closing date
Radio altimeter 5G tolerance and supporting paperwork
STC, 337 and AFM supplement paperwork for every modification
Corrosion inspection of gear wells, attach areas and antenna mounts
Current weight and balance and equipment list
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Learjet 45 pre-buy inspection take?
It depends on scope and the condition of the records. As one industry reference point, West Star Aviation has published averages of about 10–12 business days for the physical inspection and 12–15 business days for records review and reporting, not counting discrepancy correction.
How much does a Learjet 45 pre-purchase inspection cost?
Cost is driven by the inspection level chosen, records condition, engine borescopes and any testing required. Ask for a written quote tied to a written scope so both are clear before the aircraft arrives.
Should the seller’s maintenance shop perform the pre-buy?
Generally, no. The seller’s shop has valuable history on the aircraft, but a buyer is better protected by an independent facility with experience on the type and no role in the sale.
Does a Learjet 45 need a 5G filter?
Only if its radio altimeter installation is not already demonstrated to be tolerant. Non-tolerant transport category airplanes carry AFM limitations under FAA AD 2023-10-02, and AD 2026-13-02 adds limitations for Canadian airspace. An approved filter installation or radio altimeter upgrade terminates those limitations. Confirm the method and paperwork for the specific aircraft.
Is engine program coverage transferable when I buy the aircraft?
Often, but terms vary by program and contract. Confirm coverage level, transferability and any buy-in or reinstatement costs directly with the program provider before closing.
What records problems should make a buyer walk away?
Missing historical logbooks, ADs without a documented method of compliance, and major repairs or modifications without supporting approved data are the findings most likely to affect value, financing and insurance. Some can be resolved; all of them need to be understood before you sign.
The Bottom Line
The Learjet 45 remains a capable, popular aircraft, and good examples are still out there. The difference between a good purchase and an expensive one is usually visible in the records and on a handful of type-specific items — if someone knows where to look before the deal closes.
What is the one finding you have seen surface after closing that you wish had been caught during the pre-buy? Share it in the comments — other owners and operators will benefit.
If you are evaluating a Learjet 40 or 45, Elite Jet Solutions performs independent pre-purchase inspections and records reviews from our FAA Part 145 repair station in Fort Worth, Texas. Contact our team or call 682-323-8223 to talk through scope before you commit to a closing date.
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