Beechcraft in Good Shape after Turbulent Year

For a company that started 2013 under bankruptcy protection, the strong year-end result for Beechcraft must seem like manna from heaven.

The final delivery figures released this week show a 64% increase in sales of commercial aircraft over the 2012 result.

Deliveries of King Air series aircraft rose from 89 in 2012, to 135 in 2013 – a 52% increase year over year. In the piston aircraft segment, which includes the G58 Baron and G36 Bonanza, deliveries rose from 36 in 2012, to 70 in 2013 – a 94% jump.

“The Beechcraft team worked collectively to put this company in a strong position in 2013, which began with a solid first quarter and momentum that continued throughout the year,” said Bill Boisture, CEO.

“In addition to the impressive full-year delivery numbers, we saw our highest booking rates in years and had solid revenue from servicing Hawker and Beechcraft aircraft in both the commercial and military segments. It’s safe to call our first year as a standalone company a success.”

Beechcraft emerged from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection without the Hawker side of the business, and by the end of the year had secured an order for 105 King Airs and found a new owner in Textron only days after Christmas.

The company also introduced the new King Air 250, 50 years after the maiden flight of the first King Air prototype and delivered the 4000th Model 36 Bonanza.

All in all, an exciting year of ups and downs for the Wichita company.

Final Deliveries