The First Purpose-Built Private Jet: The Learjet 23

Many people often consider Learjet to be the first aircraft manufacturer to produce a purpose-built business jet. Learjet was founded by Bill Lear in the late 1950s. Lear noticed that a Swiss ground-attack fighter, the FFA P-16, was a great starting point for an aircraft that could be converted into a luxurious private jet. Because of this, Lear traveled to Altenrhein, Switzerland, and founded the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation.

Lear moved the company back to the United States in Wichita, Kansas, in 1963. It was officially renamed to Lear Jet Corporation in 1964. This led to the development of the first business jet, which was later designated the Learjet 23 and introduced in 1964.

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The Impressive Journey Of Learjet: From Early Jets To Final Delivery

The Learjet brand has had a fascinating history, from its innovative beginnings to its popularity among world leaders and celebrities.

Over the years, the Learjet name became synonymous with business jets. This includes the production of several aircraft, such as:

• Learjet 25
• Learjet 35
• Learjet 45
• Learjet 75

Even so, Learjet Corporation was owned by several large companies, including Gates Aviation. It was eventually acquired by Bombardier Aerospace in 1990. Bombardier continued the production of Learjet business jets for many years, including the Learjet 60 and the Learjet 45, throughout the 1990s. However, during the 2000s and the 2010s, Bombardier did not announce any Learjet upgrades or new projects, besides the Learjet 85 which was eventually canceled in 2015. Eventually, Bombardier halted production of all Learjet aircraft in 2021, although they also announced continued support for the existing fleet in the future. The final aircraft, a Learjet 75, was delivered in March 2022, after 60 years of production and over 3,000 total private jets.

Photo: Photofex_AUT | Shutterstock

Learjet aircraft saw success in the private aviation industry. However, many aviation enthusiasts are aware of Learjet because of their first aircraft offering, the Learjet 23. Let’s take a closer look at the Learjet 23, which is what many consider to be the first purpose-built business jet. Let’s also take a look at what made this aircraft so impressive.

The history of the Learjet 23

As previously mentioned, Bill Lear believed that the Swiss FFA P-16 was a perfect candidate for being converted into a private jet. This led him to Switzerland in the 1960s, and eventually creating the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation. Lear hired a team of European engineers and began converting the aircraft into a business jet.

However, after the design and prototyping process began, Lear became unhappy with the development speed that took place in Switzerland. Because of this, Lear moved his company back to the US, landing in Wichita, Kansas. Lear officially renamed the Swiss American Aircraft Corporation as Lear Jet Corporation in 1964, and the aircraft in development was eventually designated the Learjet 23.

Photo: Stories in Light | Shutterstock

The development of the aircraft continued through the early 1960s. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight on October 7, 1963. This flight began a year-long flight testing program. However, one of the prototype aircraft crashed during a flight test in June 1964. The pilot accidentally deployed the wing spoilers during take off, so the cause of the crash was eventually ruled a pilot error. The crash resulted in no delays in the certification process, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded the aircraft its type certificate on July 13, 1964. Learjet delivered the first Learjet 23 on October 13, 1964,

Over the years, Learjet would produce over 100 total Learjet 23s. Production of the aircraft only lasted from 1964 to 1966, but the Learjet 23 remains the first business jet to be developed. It also was the foundation for the entire Learjet fleet, including being the exact derivative of the popular Learjet 24 and the Learjet 25, both of which were introduced in 1966 and replaced the Learjet 23.

Who flew the Learjet 23?

The Learjet 23 was a very successful business jet, and it was operated by a wide range of operators across the world. Many celebrities, business executives, and wealthy travelers took advantage of the world’s first purpose-built business jet. One of the most notable owners of a Learjet 23 was Frank Sinatra, who was rumored to have put 1,500 flight hours on his jet in over two years. He also frequently loaned his aircraft to his good friend Elvis Presley.

Photo: OLEG PLESHKOV | Shutterstock

Charter companies began to take advantage of this unique aircraft as well, including the popular company called Clay Lacy Aviation. This was the first charter company in the Western US and targeted the famous actors and actresses in Los Angeles, California. Executive Jet Aviation, which later became NetJets, also utilized several Learjet 23s in its early fleet.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also took advantage of the Learjet 23 for testing. Buzz Aldrin famously piloted a Learjet 23 during astronaut testing.

Design features and performance specifications of the Learjet 23

The Learjet 23 was considered to be a small cabin business jet, the first of its kind. The small airframe required two pilots to fly it, but could typically fit up to six passengers. Even so, the Learjet 23 was a high-speed aircraft that was also quite efficient, making it an immediate success.

The Learjet 23 had the following performance specifications: