Hawker Beechcraft reports slower sales - but reduces annual losses

The decrease was largely attributable to lower aircraft deliveries as a result of depressed demand across the general aviation market. During 2010, the Company delivered 238 business and general aviation aircraft compared to 309 during the same period in 2009. Included in the 2009 results were 29 special mission King Air aircraft delivered under the U.S. Government’s Project Liberty Phase I program. Project Liberty deliveries are reported as part of the B&GA segment. Partially offsetting the decline in the B&GA segment was increased revenue in the Trainer/Attack Aircraft and Customer Support segments.

During the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2010, the Company recorded an operating loss of $173.9 million, compared to an operating loss of $712.0 million during the comparable period of 2009. The smaller operating loss versus the prior period was primarily due to charges of $25.6 million related to asset impairments recorded during 2010 as compared to charges of $522.8 million recorded during the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2009. The majority of the charges that occurred during 2009 and 2010 were recorded in the B&GA operating segment.

The Company generated $297.8 million of cash from operations during the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2010, as compared to $177.1 million of cash generated by operations in the same period of 2009. On Dec. 31, 2010, the Company’s cash and cash equivalents balance was $422.8 million.

Backlog was $1.4 billion on Dec. 31, 2010 as compared to $1.9 billion on Sept. 30, 2010.  Approximately 28.2% of the backlog on Dec. 31, 2010 represented orders that are not expected to be delivered in 2011. The backlog also includes significant orders from the U.S. Government.