Third-quarter earnings are up at Cedar Rapids-based Rockwell Collins. The company reports earnings of 77 million dollars, or 43 cents a share. That’s up from 60 million dollars, or 33 cents a share, a year ago. The earnings increase came despite a drop in sales due to a continued slump in the commercial jet market. Rockwell spokesperson Nancy Welsh. Welsh says Rockwell has “outstanding performance” in its sales to the government, with year-over-year sales to the government up 15 percent. She says they’ve had four consecutive quarters of growth in government sales. Welsh says that’s “quite strong and is offsetting the weaknesses in commercial markets.” Rockwell’s commercial side makes aviation electronics and in-flight entertainment products. Rockwell also provides the military with a range of products from navigation and global positioning systems to precision guidance and sophisticated radios.