“In the [second] quarter, our team delivered higher revenue, earnings per share, and cash flow,” said Scott C. Donnell, chairman and CEO, Textron. “At Aviation and Bell, we continued to execute on key programs, including the Citation Ascend and FLRAA.”

The YoY $113m increase in revenue came from higher pricing of $57m and higher volume and mix of $56m.

Textron Aviation delivered 42 jets in the quarter, down from 44 in the second quarter of 2023, and 44 commercial turboprops, up from 37 in last year’s second quarter.

On the bottom line, the aviation segment’s profits increased to $195m, up $24m from same quarter last year.

Meanwhile, the company’s backlog at the end of the second quarter was $7.5bn slightly higher than $7.3bn at the end of first quarter 2024.

Overall, Textron’s second quarter revenue increased by 3%YoY to $3.5bn attributable to growth in Aviation, Bell and Systems segments which offset the decline in revenues from Industrial and eAviation segments.

Despite higher topline, the company’s net income declined during the quarter under review to $259m in the second quarter from $263m from last year. The company booked special charges of $13m, which the company said was due to “headcount reductions in the Industrial, Textron Systems and Bell segments.”

This translated in to earnings of $1.35 per share, as compared to $1.30 in the second quarter of 2023.

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“In the quarter, we saw profit growth across our Aviation, Bell, and Systems businesses,” said Scott C. Donnelly, chairman and CEO, Textron. “At Aviation, we saw continued strong market demand which contributed to $177m in backlog growth. At Bell, we saw revenue growth driven by the FLRAA program.”

The company said that the Textron Aviation’s revenues increased by $39m from last year’s first quarter, reflecting higher pricing of $48m, partially offset by lower volume and mix of $9m.

Meanwhile, Textron Aviation delivered 36 jets in the quarter, up from 35 in the first quarter of 2023, and 20 commercial turboprops, down from 34 in last year’s first quarter.

In terms of profitability, the aviation segment’s profit increased by $18m to $143m during the quarter under review driven by the favourable impact from pricing, net of inflation of $14m.

The segment’s backlog at the end of the first quarter was $7.3bn.

Overall, Textron’s revenue increased by 4%YoY to $3.1bn with a major boost of this coming from the higher sales in aviation and helicopters segment (Bell). This translated in to net income of $1.03 per share, as compared to $0.92 per share in the first quarter of 2023.

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Bell 429 EMS equipped helicopter at Farnborough 2014 (Photo: Terry Spruce)

Bell Helicopter signed a purchase agreement for two Bell 429 HEMS equipped aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered in 2015 and will support medical rescue missions throughout the region.

ALSO READ: Bell delivers two Bell 429 EMS from Prague facility

Steve Suttles, Bell Helicopter managing director for the Middle East and Africa says: “We are excited to bring the Bell 429 to the Middle East for HEMS operations. In the past few years, EMS operators throughout the world have seen firsthand that the Bell 429 is the most modern light-twin helicopter available. In fact, of the nearly 200 Bell 429s operating worldwide, nearly 20 percent of them operate HEMS and parapublic missions.”

“In recent years, a range of key global customers, including the Swedish National Police, New York Police Department, Turkish National Police, Air Zermatt and Wiltshire Air Ambulance, have all chosen the Bell 429 as the best solution for their mission needs. We expect to continue to see strong growth as more and more customers see firsthand the amazing capabilities of this machine in action,” Suttles adds.

David Sale, Middle East regional sales manager for Bell Helicopter says: “The advanced situational awareness and performance of the Bell 429 will be key for operators in the region to complete missions in this region as safely and effectively as possible.”

“The total cost of ownership of the Bell 429 provides operators with value not only upon purchase, but also throughout the entire lifecycle of the aircraft. We are looking forward to increasing our HEMS capabilities throughout the Gulf Coast countries in the years to come as we continue to build momentum,” adds Sale.

At last week’s Farnborough International Airshow, Bell Helicopter displayed a Bell 429 alongside a Bell 407GX.

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Bell 206L-4 helicopter flying.

Bell Helicopter has announced an order for 20 Bell 206L-4 helicopters to Air Medical Group Holdings (AMGH), one of the largest providers of air ambulance helicopters in the world, with deliveries scheduled to begin this year and continuing through 2017.

“These new aircraft will serve as replacements for older aircraft in service as well as provide for growth of the service area,” said Seth Myers, president of Air Evac EMS, Inc., a subsidiary of Air Medical Group Holdings.

“We appreciate the quality aircraft, service and support Bell Helicopter has provided us over the years and look forward to continuing to offer a variety of Bell products to our customers,” added Myers.

Air Evac EMS, Inc., operates as Air Evac Lifeteam, conducts its operations through 115 mutually-supporting air medical bases across 15 states.

Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter executive vice president of Sales and Marketing said: “We have a long, proud history supporting AMGH and are proud to have announced two significant orders with them in the past year.”

Maldonado added: “We put the goals of our customers first in everything we do and are proud to play a role as they continue to provide critical, timely care within every market where they operate.”

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A Bell 407GX helicopter flying over a city.

Hawker Pacific has completed the sale of the first Bell 407GX to an Australian customer, after a recent region demonstration tour.

The aircraft, due for delivery in early 2014, will be based in Sydney, used for corporate and VIP operations and will be customised and maintained by Hawker Pacific.

Hawker Pacific is in the process of planning additional demo tours within the region during 2014.

Tony Jones, chief operating officer of Hawker Pacific Asia, said: “Confidence is the key for a healthy acquisitions market, and this sale – truly a milestone event – echoes a shift in the corporate sector which is now moving into a new, more buoyant phase.”

“In the corporate market we’re also seeing a lot of product development as the latest generation of aircraft are released into the market. This is always exciting because the newer, more capable variants are catalysts for boosting sales as owners and operators seek to stay current with technology improvements, enhanced aircraft performance and safety.  We consider it crucial to get the latest generation products in front of our clients and potential customers as they start to make decisions on purchasing new aircraft,” added Jones.

“The Bell 407 has always been a favourite with operators globally and remains the smoothest, most reliable helicopter in its class. It is no surprise that its latest variant, the 407GX, has seen stronger than anticipated sale numbers soon after its release. Bell Helicopter continues to push the boundaries with its aircraft and the addition of the Garmin 1000 avionics is a huge step forward in situational awareness and reduced cockpit workload. The Garmin G1000 is compatible with Garmin satellite weather services which are now supported in the region. We are committed to exposing the market to these new products as they are released in Australasia.”

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Bell 412EPl flying

Bell Helicopter has announced the upcoming delivery of the first Bell 412EPI helicopter in the world to Abu Dhabi Aviation for offshore oilfield support in the UAE.

“The Bell 412 platform has been a vital part of our operations for many years. We chose to add the Bell 412EPI upgrade to our fleet for more flexibility and increased safety in the demanding environment we fly in every day,” said Khaled Mashhour, commercial director at Abu Dhabi Aviation. “A more powerful engine and improved situational awareness for our pilots are two key features of the Bell 412EPI that will provide the enhanced performance we are looking for.”

Abu Dhabi Aviation is the first commercial operator in the world to purchase a Bell 412EPI. The company has been operating Bell Helicopter aircraft for more than 30 years.

Delivery of Abu Dhabi Aviation’s Bell 412EPI will take place before the end of 2013.

“The delivery of the first Bell 412EPI is the culmination of a dynamic effort between Bell Helicopter and our customers to design, develop and produce an aircraft with increased performance for hot and high conditions, as well as improved safety and lowered cost of operations,” said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter’s executive vice president of Sales and Marketing. “We are honoured that Abu Dhabi continues to place their trust in Bell products after three decades and we take pride in providing them with the reliable aircraft their challenging missions require.”

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Bell 429WLG prototype showing wheeled landing gear

Bell Helicopter reports first order for the Bell 429WLG from Argentinian company Rio Iruya. The aircraft is modified version of the Bell 429, featuring wheeled landing gear in place of traditional skids.

The move to offer a landing gear option comes after requests from customers, according to Danny Maldonado, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Bell Helicopters. “We have listened to several customers who have needed the maneuverability of this option for their missions,” he says.

“The development of the wheeled landing gear will benefit me tremendously while maneuvering through the airports of my city, Buenos Aires, where in many cases helicopters and airplanes share the same landing platform,” says Sebastian Eskenazi, president and CEO of Rio Iruya.

The Argentinian company, which will use the aircraft for corporate and VIP transport, signed the firm order at the NBAA in Las Vegas this week.

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