GATES LEARJET CORPORATION

USA

William P. Lear founded the Swiss American Aviation Corporation in 1960 to build a twin-jet executive aircraft, originally designated SAAC-23 and later named Learjet. Tooling was completed in Europe but moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1962, when the company became known as Lear Jet Corporation. In 1967 Bill Lear sold his 60 percent interest in the company to Gates Rubber Corporation, and in 1970 the name was changed to Gates Learjet Corporation. Became Learjet Inc. in 1987.


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