Fresh off the shedding of its business jet division, Beechcraft Corp., in its first major international show since its February restructuring, is turning its focus at ABACE on its market-leading turboprop division. According to company chairman, president and CEO and Shawn Vick, Beechcraft has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with 80 percent less debt and the ability to triple its research investment. The world’s largest turboprop manufacturer, Beechcraft can trace its involvement in the China market back to 1938, when the Chinese government ordered a fleet of Beech D-17 Staggerwings equipped as aerial ambulances, in one of history’s first examples of a mission-specific aircraft. In its more than 80-year existence, Beechcraft has delivered more than 54,000 aircraft.
Today, the Wichita, Kansas-based company (Chalet 360) claims 64 percent of Asia Pacific turboprop fleet, according to a recent report from industry data analyst JetNet. Of a total 660 business turboprops in the region, 421 are Beechcraft aircraft. Over the past five years, deliveries of the company’s twin-engine King Airs to Asia have increased by 41 percent over the 2007-2011period. “We have been an active part of this dynamic market for many decades and in terms of long-term growth, it is no surprise that Asia Pacific represents one of the most exciting markets for us,” said Richard Emery, Beechcraft’s recently named president of sales for Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa.” We’re seeing increased sales activity for our piston and turboprop aircraft in China and the broader region, so there clearly is a developing appetite for shorter range smaller aircraft and we are aiming to further our leadership position in this market.”
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