Citing circumstances related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada announced on Wednesday that it will temporarily halt production of new Dash 8-400 turboprop beyond currently confirmed orders. According to the company, the manufacturing pause will affect approximately 500 employees at De Havilland Canada’s facility in Downsview, Toronto. The company says it plans to resume production “at the earliest possible time, subject to market demand.”
“We fully expect worldwide demand for the Dash 8 to return once the industry has recovered from the pandemic … ” said David Curtis, executive chairman of De Havilland Canada parent company Longview Aviation Capital. “While industry conditions remain challenging, we are looking to the future by enhancing our ability to support Dash 8 operators, and taking the necessary organizational steps to ensure we are ready to meet industry demand as the aviation industry recovers.”
De Havilland Canada is also in the process of moving out of the Downsview production site, which was sold by previous owner Bombardier in 2018. As per the sale agreement, the site lease expires this year. De Havilland has not yet settled on a new location, saying it is exploring “a number of excellent production site options in Canada.”
