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.