The Learjet 23 was the first mass-produced business jet, creating a new class of aviation. A Learjet soon became the definition of business success when it was introduced in 1964, showing that the owner was too busy, too important, and too rich for commercial airtravel.
The original project was intended as a ground attack fighter for the Swiss Air Force. When that did not work out, Bill Lear adapted the design into an executive jet which retained fighter-like performance, whisking eight passengers at 540 mph and instantly creating a whole new market.
A series of other Learjets followed, and other manufacturers soon started producing their own executive jets. Learjet have been owned by Bombardier Aerospace since 1990, but the Learjet brand is as potent as ever.
Source: lunajets
