Textron Aviation
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Predecessor | Beech Holdings (Beechcraft and Hawker Aircraft), Cessna |
| Founded | March 2014 |
| Headquarters | Wichita , United States |
Key people | Ronald Draper (CEO) |
| Products | General aviation aircraft, military trainers, spare parts, engineering services |
| Parent | Textron |
Textron Aviation Inc. operates as the general aviation sector within the diversified corporation Textron. Established in March 2014 following the acquisition of Beech Holdings—which encompassed the Beechcraft and Hawker Aircraft lines—it also includes the Textron-owned Cessna brand. Textron Aviation handles marketing for Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft and provides maintenance support for existing Hawker fleets via service centers, although it no longer manufactures new Hawker models.
Scott Ernest, previously CEO of Cessna, served as Textron Aviation’s inaugural CEO. In October 2018, Ronald Draper took over the leadership role.
History
In March 2014, Textron completed the purchase of Beech Holdings for approximately US$1.4 billion in cash. The acquisition and Beechcraft’s outstanding debt were financed through a combination of cash reserves, US$600 million in senior notes, and a five-year term loan worth US$500 million.
Post-acquisition, Textron combined Beechcraft and Cessna to form Textron Aviation, while preserving both brand names to maintain their established market presence.
January 2017 saw Textron Aviation announce workforce reductions due to declining sales in business jets and turboprops, which adversely affected profitability. CEO Scott Donnelly highlighted that customer demand was at pricing levels the company could not sustain.
Revenues for the first quarter of 2017 decreased by US$121 million from the previous year, primarily because of reduced military and commercial turboprop sales. Earnings declined from US$73 million in Q1 2016 to US$36 million in Q1 2017.
The Cessna 400 experienced weak sales, with only 23 units sold during 2017; production ended in February 2018.
In April 2022, Textron expanded by acquiring Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel, launching a new division called Textron eAviation dedicated to electric aircraft innovation.
By June 2025, Textron secured its inaugural African contract for the Cessna SkyCourier: Algeria’s Tassili Travail Aérien ordered two aircraft configured for aeromedical purposes to support passenger transport and medical evacuation operations.
On October 20, 2025, Textron announced a strategic restructuring that dissolved Textron eAviation as an independent division. The Pipistrel brand and Nexus eVTOL initiative were absorbed into Textron Aviation to capitalize on existing resources. Additional electric aviation projects—including military applications and digital flight control research—were redistributed among various Textron business units to enhance efficiency in advanced aviation development.
Products
Textron Aviation offers a range of aircraft including Cessna single-engine piston planes, turboprops, and jets alongside Beechcraft piston and turboprop models. These product lines are designed to complement rather than compete with each other. Additionally, the company manufactures the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II military trainer along with its AT-6 light attack variant. Although no longer producing Hawker jets, Textron Aviation continues to provide parts support for those aircraft.
By 2015, companies under Textron Aviation had delivered nearly 251,000 aircraft globally, accumulating over 100 million flight hours across more than 170 countries. The company also supplies spare parts and engineering services.
Aircraft
| Model name | Year of first flight | Quantity produced | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft G36 Bonanza | 1945 | 17,000 | light general aviation, six-seat |
| Beechcraft G58 Baron | 1960 | 6,691 | light general aviation, twin piston engine |
| Beechcraft King Air | 1963 | over 3,100 | light general aviation turboprop |
| Beechcraft Super King Air | 1972 | more than 3,550 | light general aviation turboprop |
| Beechcraft T-6 Texan II/AT-6 | 2000 | 850 | military trainer/light attack aircraft |
| Cessna 172 | 1955 | 43,000 | light general aviation, four-seat, 145-180 hp engine |
| Cessna 182 | 1956 | 23,237 | light general aviation, four-seat, 227-235 hp engine |
| Cessna 206 | 1962 | 8,509 | light general aviation, six-seat configuration |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | 1982 | approximately 2,500 | general aviation commuter aircraft |
| Cessna 408 SkyCourier | 2020 | general aviation cargo transport aircraft | |
| Cessna Citation Excel | 1996 | around 575 units built | mid-size jet aircraft |
| Cessna CitationJet | 1991 | approximately 400 produced | light jet aircraft category |
| Cessna Citation Latitude | 2014 | mid-size jet model | |
| Cessna Citation Longitude | 2016 | super mid-size jet class |