After weeks of speculation, Textron announced in late December that it would buy Beechcraft Corp., for $1.4 billion. Textron is the parent company of Cessna, Bell Helicopter, and Lycoming. “The acquisition of Beechcraft is a tremendous opportunity to extend our general aviation business,” said Textron CEO Scott Donnelly. Textron also will take on the profitable service business for Hawker’s orphaned jet line, creating opportunities to convert those owners, as well as pilots upgrading from the popular King Air turboprops, to Cessna jets.
The FAA said in November it planned to require applicants for airman medicals to be tested for sleep apnea if they have a body-mass index over 40, which the National Institute of Health says is extremely obese. The plan drew wide opposition from pilots and lobbying groups. Opponents said sleep apnea has never been cited as a factor in general-aviation accidents, and the rule should be open to discussion instead of imposed unilaterally. In December, the FAA said it would delay implementation and host a meeting in January to gather input from the pilot and medical communities. The required sleep studies can be time-consuming and inconvenient, costing up to $5,000.
