Textron Aviation


Textron Aviation Inc. is the general aviation business unit of the conglomerate Textron that was formed in March 2014 following the acquisition of Beech Holdings which included the Beechcraft and Hawker Aircraft businesses. The new business unit includes the Textron-owned Cessna. Textron Aviation sells Beechcraft and Cessna branded aircraft. While no longer selling new Hawker airplanes, Textron Aviation still supports the existing Hawker aircraft fleet through its service centers.
The CEO of Cessna, Scott Ernest, was named as the first CEO of Textron Aviation Incorporated. In October 2018, Ronald Draper succeeded Ernest to become the second CEO of Textron Aviation.

History

Textron completed its purchase of Beech Holdings in March 2014 for approximately US$1.4 billion in cash. The parent company, Textron, financed the equity purchase and the repayment of Beechcraft's debt in cash, plus its issue of US$600 million in senior notes and a new US$500 million five-year term loan.
Once the purchase was completed on March 14, 2014, Textron combined Beechcraft with its existing Cessna subsidiary to form Textron Aviation and brought all production under the new company name. The old companies become brands of the new company due to their historical significance and name recognition.
In January 2017 the company announced lay-offs as a result of falling business jet and turboprop sales and company profits. Textron CEO Scott Donnelly indicated that customers are seeking pricing levels that the company is not willing to support.
In the first quarter of 2017 company revenues were down US$121 million compared to 2016, as a result of lower sales of military and commercial turboprop aircraft. The company made a first quarter 2017 profit of US$36 million, down from US$73 million in the first quarter of 2016.
Sales of the aircraft had been slow, with only 23 of the model being sold in 2017. In February 2018, the company ceased production of the Cessna 400.

Products

Textron Aviation's various lines of aircraft, including the Cessna single-engined piston and turboprop aircraft and jets, Beechcraft piston and turboprops are seen by the company as complementary to each other and not as competitors. Textron Aviation also produces the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II trainer and AT-6 light attack variant. The company does not produce the Hawker jets, but provides parts support for them.
By 2015, Textron Aviation companies have delivered nearly 251,000 aircraft, exceeding 100 million flight hours, in over 170 countries.
It provides aircraft parts and engineering support for them.

Aircraft

Model nameOriginal first flightNumber builtType
Cessna 172195543,000light general aviation aircraft, 4-seat, 145-180 hp
Cessna 182195623,237light general aviation aircraft, 4-seat, 227-235 hp
Cessna 20619628,509light general aviation aircraft, 6 seat
Cessna 208 Caravan19822,500general aviation aircraft/commuter
Cessna 408 SkyCourier2020general aviation aircraft/cargo
Cessna TTx2004light general aviation aircraft, 4-seat, low-wing
Cessna Citation Mustang2005425general aviation very light jet aircraft
Cessna Citation M22012general aviation light jet aircraft
Cessna CitationJet1991400general aviation light jet aircraft
Cessna Citation Excel1996575general aviation mid-size jet aircraft
Cessna Citation Sovereign2002300general aviation mid-size jet aircraft
Cessna Citation Latitude2014general aviation mid-size jet aircraft
Cessna Citation Longitude2016general aviation super mid-size jet aircraft
Cessna Citation X1993330general aviation long range mid-size jet aircraft
Beechcraft G36 Bonanza194517,000light general aviation aircraft, 6-seat
Beechcraft G58 Baron19606,691light general aviation aircraft, twin piston
Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/AT-62000850military training aircraft/light attack aircraft
Beechcraft King Air19633,100+light general aviation aircraft
Beechcraft Super King Air19723,550+light general aviation aircraft