LEARJET

BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE LEARJET (Subsidiary of Bombardier Inc)

Company originally founded 1960 by Bill Lear Snr as Swiss American Aviation Corporation (SAAC); transferred to Kansas 1962 and renamed Lear Jet Corporation; prototype Lear Jet 23 (N801L) first flew 7 October 1963; Gates Rubber Company bought about 60 per cent share in 1967 and renamed it Gates Learjet Corporation, moving much of manufacturing to Tucson, Arizona; 64.8 per cent acquired by Integrated Acquisition Inc September 1987 and renamed Learjet Corporation; all manufacturing moved from Tucson to Wichita during 1988, leaving customer service completion and modification centre in Tucson.
Acquisition of Learjet by Canada's Bombardier announced April 1990 and concluded 22 June 1990 for US$75 million; name changed to Learjet Inc; Bombardier assumed responsibility for Learjet's line of credit; now part of Bombardier Inc. Learjet 31A, 40, 45 and 60 assembled in Wichita and flown to Tucson for completion and delivery.
Some 2,350 Learjets built, including 105 LJ23s, 259 LJ24s, 368 LJ25s, five LJ28s, four LJ29s, 225 LJ31s, 673 LJ35s, 62 LJ36s, 235 LJ45s, 147 LJ55s and 265 LJ60s. 2,000th Learjet, Model 45 N158PH, delivered to Parker Hannifin Corporation in August 1999.
Learjet bought manufacturing and marketing rights and tooling of Aeronca thrust reversers, for application to Learjet and other aircraft, March 1989.
Total of 36 deliveries in 1994; 43 in 1995; 34 in 1996; 45 in 1997; 61 in 1998; 99 in 1999; 134 in 2000; 182 in 2001, and 60 in 2002.

Additional Info

  • Address: One Learjet Way, PO Box 7707, Wichita, Kansas 67277
Read 4948 times