Historical Note

Lear Siegler, Incorporated was an avionics manufacturing company that began in 1962 after a merger between Lear, Inc. and Siegler Corporation.

Siegler Corporation was initially incorporated in December 1950 as Siegler Heating Company. After a merger in 1954 changed its name to Siegler Corporation. In early 1962, Siegler Corporation and Lear, Inc., Bill Lear’s aircraft radio manufacturing company, completed a merger becoming Lear Siegler, Incorporated (LSI). After that point, Bill Lear was no longer associated with the company.

Siegler President John G. Brooks became LSI’s Chairman and CEO. In 1964, he also served as President, a position he held until his death from a stroke in 1971. LSI was an early conglomerate with several acquisitions, initially focusing on the areas of aerospace-technology, automotive parts, and industrial-commercial manufacturing.

Due to the merger, the former Lear, Inc. Grand Rapids facility became the Instrument Division of LSI and corporate headquarters were relocated to California. The Instrument Division developed precision electronic instruments for aircraft, missile guidance systems, and space vehicles. Its primary product lines were aircraft reference, navigation and communication instrument systems; radio navigation systems; weapon delivery systems and ground support equipment. Their instruments were used in the U.S. space program, including on Gemini and Apollo missions.

During the 1980s, product highlights were performance data computer systems and the flight management computer system. In 1986, the ID merged with Avionic System Division to form Lear Siegler, Inc., Instrument and Avionic Systems Corporation. A year later it was sold to Smiths Industries, a British aerospace and industrial products company.

As of 2014, LSI still existed as a part of URS Corporation.

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