Sunday, September 2, 2012

Should Ford to buy Hawker Beechcraft? Publication makes that case

Photo by Brandon Poole, bizjournals

Ford Motor Co. is actually no stranger to aviation manufacturer.

A lot of companies have been mentioned as possible suitors for Hawker Beechcraft Corp.

Cessna Aircraft Co. and Brazil-based Embraer have come up.

Even Mahindra, the Indian vehicle manufacturer, has been rumored as having an interest in Hawker.

Hawker, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May, is in exclusive negotiations with Superior Aviation Beijing Co. Ltd. on a potential $1.79 billion sale of its civil aviation business. But even a deal is reached, other companies would have an opportunity to outbid Superior at the end of the process.

But Aviation International News lays out a surprising case for a company that should try to do that: Ford Motor Co.

The article suggests several reasons such a deal would make sense. For example, Ford manufactured small three-engine aircraft in the 1920s and 1930s, so it has some history there.

It also has the experience of its CEO, Alan Mulally, who was previously at Boeing.

Perhaps the most compelling reason is that Ford could afford to do it and still pump the kind of money into research and development needed to boost the brand.

Ford would also be the kind of domestic buyer that could help quell fears about Hawker?s future in the United States.

It may sound like a long shot, but AIN does lay out an interesting argument.

Too bad for cross-promotional purposes that the Mustang name wouldn?t be available in the skies.

Daniel McCoy covers aviation, manufacturing, energy and automotive.

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Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_national/~3/RWWCQ90K_s4/should-ford-to-buy-hawker-beechcraft.html

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