EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013: More Textron - Cessna and Bell Helicopter

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience continues our coverage of EAA AirVenture 2013 by presenting more of the Textron companies on exhibit - Cessna and Bell Helicopter (see the previous feature on Beechcraft, the newest Textron company).  Textron is a very successful multi-business conglomerate that began as a textile company, called Special Yarns Corporation, founded by Royal Little in Boston, MA in 1923.  The company grew during the World War II era through government contracts for parachutes, and later switched to consumer fashions made from synthetic fibers.  In the 1950s, the company ventured into non-textile businesses by acquiring automotive cushion maker Burkart Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, MO and later Homelite, Camcar and CWC.  In 1960, Bell Aerospace (Helicopters) was added, along with E-Z-Go golf carts, Speidel, Sheaffer Pen, Bostich, and Gorham silver.  Other companies were added over the next decades, including Cessna in the 1990s along with automotive suppliers, Lycoming Engines and currently Beechcraft.  Through a series of structure evolutions, Textron has found the way to leverage the resources of a mega-corporation by acquiring companies with complementary products and manufacturing processes.

Featured in the current post are the Cessna Citation CJ4, T206 Stationair Night Sky Edition, T206H Stationair on floats, 208 Caravan, 208B Grand Caravan, 172S Skyhawk, 206H Stationair with Rolls Royce turbo-prop engine, 162 Skycatcher LSA with Discover Flying Challenge pilot Brian Simmons, and Bell Helicopter Model 407.  Also featured are the Textron race car and Citation Service Center truck.   

Special thanks to our friends at Cessna for allowing The Aero Experience on the exhibit grounds during the setup prior to opening day.