The Lear 35 began life as a Swiss ground attack aircraft, the FFA P-16. The project was cancelled after development problems and crashes. But Bill Lear saw promise in the design as a basis for a new line of business jets. He bought the rights to the aircraft and began production in 1962. The Learjet Corporation has undergone several ownership changes and is now a division of Bombardier. The plane was also sold to the U.S. Air Force as the C-21.