Cessna Boosts Textron Revenue
Textron, the parent company of Bell Helicopter and Cessna, isn’t feeling the effects of the economic downturn just yet.

Textron, the parent company of Bell Helicopter and Cessna, isn’t feeling the effects of the economic downturn just yet. The company reported an 18.7-percent jump in revenue in the first quarter, largely due to an increase in revenue of $278 million by the Wichita-based OEM. Cessna’s profits increased by $52 million, to $207 million, compared with the same time last year, and the backlog rose from $12.6 billion at year-end to $14.5 billion in the first quarter. Bell revenues, on the other hand, decreased $6 million compared with the same time last year, but profits rose, from $28 million to $53 million.