Business jet deliveries at Textron Aviation division Cessna Aircraft climbed to 159 Citations last year, a 12-percent increase over 2013, while shipments of King Air turboprops at the Beechcraft unit landed at 113. It is difficult to determine how King Air deliveries compare with the previous year, since the 135 handovers reported to GAMA for 2013 also include those between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15, 2014. Textron also acquired Beechcraft in March, complicating matters further.

Thanks to the Beechcraft acquisition, higher volumes and favorable mix, revenues at Textron Aviation soared last year by nearly $2 billion, to $4.57 billion, while profits swung to $234 million versus a $48 million loss in 2013.

Backlog at Textron Aviation at the end of the fourth quarter was $1.4 billion, relatively flat compared with the end of the third quarter.

Meanwhile, deliveries, revenues and profits at sister company Bell Helicopter were all down last year. Bell shipped 57 civil helicopters in 2014, compared with 75 units in 2013. Revenues at Bell dipped by $266 million, to $4.25 billion, while year-over-year profits slid by $44 million to a still-respectable $529 million. Bell backlog ended 2014 at $5.5 billion, up $192 million from late September.