Cessna on Monday notified over 500 workers that they have 60 days left to work, then they will be out of a job. The jobs are being eliminated at Cessna’s plants in Wichita, Kan., and in Bend, Ore., where the Cessna 350 and 400 are built at the former Columbia plant. An additional 150 workers chose voluntary layoff packages. The company said last month the staff cuts would be necessary because some customers have deferred delivery for 2009, so the expected rate of production will have to be slowed. Cessna employs about 12,000 people in Wichita and about 420 in Bend. Hawker Beechcraft also recently announced a cut of 490 people, about 5 percent of its workforce; and Piper said it will reduce its workweek to save the company money but retain jobs. Mooney laid off staff last month, and Cirrus also announced layoffs in September, affecting about 8 percent of its workers.
Ballistic Recovery Systems also recently announced short-term layoffs for about a quarter of its staff. Eclipse Aviation is now working through bankruptcy proceedings.
