Textron Aviation shipped 40 Citation jets in the second quarter. That is down from 49 in the same period a year earlier. Turboprop deliveries ran the other way, climbing to 44 King Airs from 34. Segment revenue was $1.54 billion, up 1 per cent, with higher aircraft pricing offsetting the lower jet volume. Segment profit came in at $165 million against $170 million a year earlier, and backlog held at about $8 billion.
Chief executive Lisa Atherton attributed the jet shortfall to a younger production workforce. Half of Textron Aviation employees now carry less than five years of experience, compared with under 30 per cent in 2019. Attrition has stabilised. Atherton said production employees typically need five to seven years to reach full efficiency, and that broader delivery gains are not expected until the middle to end of 2027. The company has added engineering resources on the factory floor, expanded supervisor training, and set up a Career and Learning Center for employee screening and preparation. Supplier delays on engines, spars and hydraulics have also forced out-of-sequence work on the line.
For prospective Citation buyers, the recovery window lands on top of the Gen3 rollout. Textron is targeting FAA type certification of the Cessna Citation CJ4 Gen3 within 2026, with the CJ3 Gen3 and M2 Gen3 both scheduled for service entry in 2027. Delivery-slot pressure on the light-jet range therefore arrives before the assembly line recovers.
Ascend deliveries to fleet launch customer NetJets reached five in the first half. NetJets has committed to fifteen by the end of 2026. Chief financial officer David Rosenberg estimated that continuing productivity work could yield around $150 million in incremental profit.
Source: Textron Q2 2026 press release (SEC Form 8-K, Exhibit 99.1), 28 July 2026; Aviation Week Network; AVweb.