In the 1970s, the jet age had firmly taken hold of most categories of aviation, and jet power was quickly becoming the norm. From airliners to fighters to private jets, nearly every category took advantage of the increased power, speed, and reliability of jet engines. But while the benefits were numerous, fuel consumption was quite high, and by the middle of the decade, the cost of jet-A had tripled.
The cost to train pilots in advanced jet trainers, therefore, was following suit. One company in Germany spotted an opportunity for a more cost-effective alternative. If it could design an advanced trainer that was drastically less expensive to operate, it reasoned it would be of interest to militaries around the world.
