Textron Aviation closed the fourth quarter with a 12 percent increase in revenue, to $1.6 billion, on higher deliveries of 63 business jets and 67 turboprops. The 9 percent increase in jet deliveries, up from 58 in the same quarter of 2017, and 49 percent jump in turboprops, up from 45 aircraft, contributed to “a very strong quarter” at parent company Textron chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly said this morning.

Order demand was up across the company’s Citation product line, including for the CJ4, Sovereign, and Latitude. For all of 2018, the Wichita-based airframer delivered 188 jets compared with 180 in 2017, and 186 turboprops versus 155. Backlog was $1.8 billion, flat from the end of the third quarter but up $600 million from a year ago.

Donnelly noted that its newest jet, the Longitude, received provisional type certification in the quarter. But he didn’t offer an exact date in 2019 for when he expects the super-midsize jet to receive full approval from the FAA. “I know we’re getting close,” he said. 

Issues with the FAA around the Longitude’s fuel system have been resolved, he said, and now “we’re just doing documentation. There are no technical issues,” Donnelly said. “It’s just something that we have to finalize these documents and get done.” 

During the fourth quarter, NetJets booked nine firm orders for the Longitude, it confirmed to AIN; Donnelly expects these twinjets will be delivered to the fractional provider in the third or fourth quarter. These are from NetJets' agreement with Textron announced at NBAA 2018 in October for an option to purchase up to 175 Longitudes and 150 Hemispheres.

NetJets also is working with Textron on the concept design and specifications of the large-cabin Hemisphere, he said. “We will not ramp a lot of spending into that until we’re confident that the [Snecma Silvercrest] engine program is in good shape,” Donnelly added. He expects to know more mid-year about how Snecma is working issues with the engine’s high-pressure axial compressor.

As for Textron’s two other airplane development programs, the single-engine turboprop Denali and twin-engine turboprop SkyCourier, Donnelly said he expects both to make their maiden flights this year. “Our teams are a little bit stretched here with a lot of our engineering resources tied up on the Longitude, but they’re working hard to get those first flights this year,” he said.