Beechcraft has reported a first quarter delivery rebound as it emerged from bankruptcy protection in late February, shipping 59 aircraft over the three-month period.
The delivery surge that included the last six Hawker 4000 mid-size business jets out-paced last-year's first quarter deliveries of 37 aircraft by nearly 76%.
The former Hawker Beechcraft emerged from bankruptcy protection as a manufacturer of turboprop and piston-powered aircraft, having ditched the Hawker business jet line. However it will maintain and upgrade all the legacy Beechcraft and Hawker models.
Beechcraft chief executive Bill Boisture says the delivery shipments indicate the market is "responding positively" to the re-launched company. Customers have also booked new orders at the highest rate in three years for the first quarter, Boisture says.
As expected, the King Air turboprop family dominated the company's deliveries in the quarter, accounting for 34 shipments between the 350i/ER, 250 and C90GTx variants.
The piston-powered segment accounted for 15 orders, including seven for the Baron G58 and nine for the G36. Beechcraft also delivered nine T-6 trainers to military customers.
Beechcraft is still looking for a buyer for the jet-powered aircraft type certificates of the Hawker 4000 and Beechcraft Premier 1A.
Nextant Aerospace, meanwhile, confirms it intends to bid to acquire the type certificate for the available Hawket jet models. The Flight Options subsidiary has developed an improved version of the twinjet called the Nextant 400XT. Beechcraft is also working on a similar avionics and engine upgrade called the Hawker 400XPr.
(Correction: Update deletes reference to the type certificates for the Hawker 400 and 900 models as available for sale by Beechcraft.)
Source: Flight International