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36-539: LSI is sometimes confused with Learjet , which manufactures executive jets. The Siegler Corporation was incorporated in December 1950 as the Siegler Heating Company . Originally a maker of climate control equipment, the company changed its name to Siegler Corporation after merging with Siegler Enamel Range Company Inc. in 1954. In that year, John G. Brooks, a flamboyant entrepreneur, and nine other associates bought

72-576: A 2004 judgement by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in favor of the landowners. In addition, per URS Corp's 2004 form 10-K Report, Saudi Arabia issued $ 5.1 million in taxes for the years 1999 through 2002. Learjet Learjet was a manufacturer of business jets for civilian and military use based in Wichita, Kansas , United States. Founded in the late 1950s by William Powell Lear as Swiss American Aviation Corporation , it became

108-731: A division of the company). In 1968, LSI purchased National Broach & Machine, a gear machine manufacturer. LSI acquired Cuckler Steel Span Company (operated as Cuckler Building Systems Division) in 1970. The purchase of the Haas Corporation inaugurated the company's plastics division, and American Industrial Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of thermo, plastic, and fiberglass safety helmets, represented LSI's entry into plastics manufacturing. By 1970, LSI had 56 divisions in 17 countries operating in six major business areas — commercial products, fabricated products, avionics, power equipment, systems and services, and real estate. Keys to

144-451: A few other aircraft companies that were located in Kansas, which meant there were many more potential workers who would possess the skills that Lear needed to run his company in the design and manufacturing of the aircraft. Lear was offered an industrial revenue bond of 1.2 million US dollars. This would be known as the first historical industrial revenue bond offered by the city. To this day,

180-485: A modular housing factory in Hawaii, and a strike at General Motors also damaged the company's profits. By the end of the year, Lear found itself involved in a major reorganization which involved consolidating five of its divisions and selling five others. CEO Robert Campion's low-key approach permitted the company to fade into relative obscurity. LSI leveraged its new expertise in controls, instruments and navigation systems into

216-615: A month later, Lear Jet became a publicly owned corporation. Several derived models followed, with the Model 24 first flying on February 24, 1966, and the Model 25 first flying on August 12, 1966. On September 19 of the same year, the company was renamed Lear Jet Industries Inc. On April 10, 1967, Bill Lear's approximately 60% share of the venture was acquired by the Gates Rubber Company of Denver , Colorado , for US$ 27 million (equivalent to $ 246,718,563 in 2023). Lear remained on

252-667: A national goal putting an American astronaut on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. This goal, based on an unprecedented effort by the combined resources of the American aerospace industry, was achieved in 1969. In 1965, LSI acquired all assets of Hypro Engineering Inc. (operated as the Hypro Division) in exchange for more than 120,000 common shares. In 1966, it purchased American Metal Products Corporation, an automobile seating and furniture parts manufacturer, and Home Furnace Company (which operated as

288-517: A steadily increasing share of government and general aviation contracts for research and development, as well as system delivery. Notable innovations at that time include inertial guidance systems, "hands off" landing systems, the telemetry and navigational instrumentation for the Apollo Moon missions, and the flight controls for the Lockheed L-1011 commercial aircraft. In 1972, LSI manufactured

324-560: A subsidiary of Canadian Bombardier Aerospace in 1990, which marketed the company’s aircraft as the "Bombardier Learjet Family". The 3,000th Learjet was delivered in June 2017. The Learjet line was once sufficiently popular that the Learjet name became synonymous and interchangeable with the terms business jet or private jet in the popular vernacular. In February 2021, Bombardier announced the end of production for all new Learjet aircraft in 2021, with

360-587: The Farnborough Air Show . On October 28, 2015 Bombardier announced cancellation of the Learjet 85 program. On February 11, 2021, Bombardier announced the end production of all Learjet aircraft. Bombardier also announced they would continue to fully support the Learjet fleet well into the future, and launched the Learjet RACER re-manufacturing program for the Learjet 40 and Learjet 45 aircraft. As Bombardier focuses on its larger Challenger and Global jets,

396-461: The Learjet 45 . In October 2007, Bombardier Learjet launched a brand new aircraft program, the Learjet 85 . It was the first FAR Part-25 all-composite business aircraft. Bombardier celebrated the 45th anniversary of the first flight by a Learjet with 2008's Year of Learjet campaign . One of its highlights was British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton racing a Learjet and winning an event at

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432-401: The 1960s, the company expanded rapidly. John G. Brooks (Echo Products, Zenith Radio, and US Army Air Corps) headed up the new enterprise. The management team transformed the low-tech space heater company into a viable corporate platform for acquiring multiple successful small companies. This strategy of "buying growth" coupled with sound management proved successful. At the end of its first year

468-560: The Learjet facility is still located in Wichita, Kansas, and is currently getting ready to be renovated, by expanding the Flight Test Center and building a new center for delivery. Bangor Punta Bangor Punta Corporation (traded on the NYSE under the symbol BNK) was an American conglomerate and Fortune 500 company in existence from 1964 to 1984. The corporation was a result of

504-504: The Siegler Corporation of Centralia, Illinois, for $ 3.3 million; $ 3.2 million of this was borrowed for 24 hours at a cost of $ 60,000. Over the next decade and a half, Brooks, who became Siegler's first president, established a reputation for supervising numerous startling acquisitions. In June 1955, seven months after the merger, Hallamore Manufacturing Company, an electronics firm, became Siegler's first "technology" acquisition. During

540-607: The cheaper labor costs. LearJet was in a temporary office which opened in September 1962 while the plant at Wichita's airport was under construction. On February 7, 1963, assembly of the first Learjet began. The next year, the company was renamed the Lear Jet Corporation . The original Learjet 23 was a six- to eight-seater and first flew on October 7, 1963, with the first production model being delivered in October 1964. Just over

576-482: The company board until April 2, 1969, when the company was merged with Gates Aviation Corporation and was renamed Gates Learjet Corporation . In 1971, the first Model 25 powered by a Garrett TFE731-2 turbofan engine was flown. This aircraft later became the successful Learjet 35 . That year, the company was awarded the President's "E" Award for promoting export sales. In 1974, the worldwide Learjet fleet had exceeded

612-490: The company into many different areas. Robert Campion, then company Secretary, followed Brooks as Lear Siegler's president and chief executive officer. In 1971, the company, then a major subcontractor for the Lockheed L-1011 commercial jet programs, saw its earnings plunge when the project was suspended because of problems with the jet's engine supplier, Rolls-Royce. Delays in other government projects, steep start-up costs at

648-513: The company's growth and performance were product diversification; balanced growth, where internal growth matches growth by acquisition; a favorable sales ratio between non-government and government business; a formalized, in-depth planning program; and emphasis on management development. Sales had skyrocketed from $ 6.5 million at its inception to over $ 600 million by the close of 1969. Government / Aerospace accounted for 65% of its volume. In its expansion, Lear Siegler had acquired Bangor Punta , which

684-457: The continuation of support and maintenance for aircraft currently in service. Learjet was one of the first companies to manufacture a private, luxury aircraft . Lear's preliminary design was based upon an experimental American military aircraft known as the Marvel , substituting fuselage-mounted turbojet engines for ducted fan turboshaft engines. However, that preliminary design was abandoned and

720-473: The corporate offices followed to Southern California. Notable efforts of the new Los Angeles based enterprise included: Lear Siegler Incorporated was created as a result of the 1961 merger between the Siegler Corporation ( Los Angeles ) and Lear Avionics Inc. (of Santa Monica , also known as Lear Inc.). Lear Inc. was an aerospace electronics firm. The merger was complete by 1962, and the new company

756-721: The corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The Siegler Corporation quickly distinguished itself as one of the first conglomerates. These were a new breed of business entities that were characterized by a variety of diverse business interests or operating divisions held or controlled by a central management. This management component was typically the only thing these divisions had in common. Examples of conglomerates are LTV (Ling-Temco-Vought) and TRW (Thompson Ramo Wooldridge). Siegler continued its program of non-hostile acquisitions of target companies. In 1956–1957 it added Hallamore Electronics of Anaheim, California, and

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792-540: The end of the year the company had ceased production of its commercial jets in an effort to reduce inventories. This lasted until February 1986, when the company headquarters were transferred to Tucson , Arizona , and production was restarted both in Wichita and Tucson. On September 10, 1985, the Aerospace Division was awarded a contract to produce parts for the Space Shuttle 's main engines. In 1987, Gates Learjet

828-684: The final Learjet design was instead adapted from an abortive 1950s Swiss ground-attack fighter aircraft , the FFA P-16 . The basic structure of the Swiss P-16 aircraft was seen by Bill Lear and his team as a good starting point to the development of a business jet, and formed the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation , located in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and staffed with design engineers from Switzerland , Germany and Britain. The aircraft

864-446: The final aircraft, a Learjet 75 , was delivered on 28 March 2022 after 60 years of production, delivering more than 3,000 aircraft, of which more than 2,000 remain in service. Learjet started off in Wichita, Kansas , and as of 2013 has over 3,200 employees. Wichita was not the only candidate for the location of Lear's project. Grand Rapids, Michigan , and Ohio were also both locations that were being considered. There were already

900-502: The first conglomerates (with a focus on aerospace, defense and consumer markets), and Lear's goal of divesting his ownership interest in Lear to pursue development of his Learjet corporate aircraft (the first pure jet private aircraft) as well as other engineering innovations. The business climate was strongly influenced by the political undercurrent that accelerated when Sputnik was launched, and amplified when President John F. Kennedy set as

936-497: The first video terminal — the 7700A. Because the new minicomputer systems required inexpensive operator consoles (compared to teletype printers), the terminals became a success. In 1973, LSI hired the new head of engineering, Jim Placak. He and his team created the ADM-1 terminal in late 1973. It set a new pricing low in the industry at $ 1,500. Its lower cost was primarily due to a unique single printed-circuit board design. The ADM-1

972-811: The merger of the Punta Alegre Sugar and Railroad Company, formerly of Cuba, and the Bangor and Aroostook Railroad of Maine. It owned a number of well-known companies in the general aviation, firearms and pleasure craft industries, including Cal Boats , O'Day Corp. , Ranger Yachts , Piper Aircraft , Forjas Taurus , and Smith & Wesson . Headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut , it was acquired by Lear Siegler, Inc. in 1984. It also owned or controlled companies in agribusiness, energy systems, fashion fabrics, public security, process engineering, professional services and transportation. The company's manufacturing unit

1008-423: The name "Longhorn" for the short-lived Learjet 28/29 and for some of the more successful models that followed. On April 19, 1979, the prototype for the Model 54/55/56 series made its first flight, and on July 7, 1983, a standard production Model 55 set six new time-to-climb records for its weight class. In 1984, Gates Learjet announced the start of their Aerospace Division, a high technology endeavor. However, by

1044-404: The one-million flight hours mark and, in 1975, the company produced its 500th jet, both industry firsts. By late 1976, the company increased monthly aircraft production to ten. On August 24, 1977, the Learjet 28 made its first flight. It was based on the Learjet 25, but received a completely new wing fitted with winglets . These resulted in both improved performance and fuel economy and inspired

1080-658: The removal of previous Analog avionics, the replacement of the aforementioned analog components with those taken from spare F-16 parts as-well as the addition of a modified AN/APG-66 Radar. LSI was selected as a part provider and supervisor of the upgrades. In late 1986, LSI was put into play by the investment banking firm, Drexel Burnham. That play led to the purchase of LSI by Forstman Little in early 1987. Subsequently, most of LSI's divisions were sold off leading to such independent companies as Safeflight, Smith and Wesson, Piper, Lear Siegler Seating and BFM Aerospace. The division that produced fly by wire systems and unmanned aircraft

1116-597: Was acquired by Integrated Acquisition and the next year the name was changed to Learjet Corporation . By January 1989, all production had been moved from the Tucson facility back to Wichita with an employment of 1,250. In 1990, Canadian company Bombardier Aerospace purchased the Learjet Corporation. The aircraft were then marketed as the "Bombardier Learjet Family". On October 10, 1990, the Learjet 60 mid-sized aircraft had its first flight, followed on October 7, 1995, by

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1152-461: Was an early conglomerate manufacturing Piper Aircraft , multiple brands of sailboats, including Ranger Yachts , Smith & Wesson firearms, and other well-known brands. In January 1971, following a business dinner in Detroit, John G. Brooks had a fatal stroke at the age of 58. He had personally presided over more than three dozen acquisitions of mismatched, marginally profitable businesses which took

1188-620: Was followed by the ADM-2 in early 1974. It had expanded functionality and a detached keyboard. In 1976, LSI released ADM-3A , one of the earliest computer video terminals, with a new industry low single unit price of $ 995. With no fast low-cost printers available, the ADM-3 became the de facto standard. In 1982 the Royal New Zealand Airforce requested for a tender to modernise their aging A-4 Skyhawks. This created Project Kahu, this involved

1224-517: Was named Lear Siegler Incorporated. The deal, which cost Siegler five shares for each seven Lear shares, nearly doubled the company's sales – from $ 96.2 million in 1961 to $ 190.8 million by the end of 1962. John G. Brooks was founder, President and Chairman of Siegler; and William Lear was founder, President and chairman at Lear. The merger was based on Brooks' plan of acquiring and growing successful but possibly unrelated operating companies (with resources and management in common) into one of

1260-515: Was originally intended to be called the SAAC-23 . The wing with its distinctive tip fuel tanks and landing gear of the first Learjets were little changed from those used by the fighter prototypes. Although building the first jet started in Switzerland, the tooling for building the aircraft was moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1962. Bill Jr stated that it took too long to get anything done in Switzerland despite

1296-466: Was purchased by British Aerospace, now part of BAE, the largest defense contractor in the world. In 1997, LSS Holdings, LLC acquired the operating assets of Lear Siegler, Inc. and its subsidiaries UNC Lear Siegler Services, Inc. and Burnside OTT Training Center, Inc. LSI provided aircraft maintenance support services on F-5 aircraft under a contract with a Saudi Arabian government ministry, ending in 2000. Contested rent from Saudi Arabian landowners led to

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