Textron Aviation continues to roll back its Wichita workforce, laying off an undisclosed number of employees this week amid a softer year for jet sales. The cuts follow previous layoffs amid a restructuring in October and the company’s announcement in September it is offering early retirement incentives.Textron, comprising the Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft lines, was last reported to have about 9,500 area employees, the Wichita Business Journal reported Friday.“In line with the actions previously announced, Textron Aviation is taking action to streamline our business through workforce reductions in order to improve our overall operating efficiency,” Textron told the Journal. “Our focus remains on bringing products and services to market that help our customers achieve success.”
To that end, Textron’s focus remains on its expanding Citation bizjet line with new offerings, which the company has said will boost profits in a challenging market. The midsize Citation Latitude is up to 40 deliveries as of the end of October in its first year in service, according to The Wichita Eagle. Meanwhile, Textron’s upcoming super-midsize Citation Longitude recently began test flights and the Hemisphere, Cessna’s largest bizjet, is under development.
