2009 is starting out on a sour note for employees of Cessna Aircraft Co., who have been warned about another round of layoffs.
According to Cessna spokesman Doug Oliver, on Jan. 6 CEO Jack Pelton sent an e-mail to staff “in which he outlined the worsening economic situation and noted that because of that worsening situation we are going to be adjusting our 2009 aircraft production schedule and that will necessitate another workforce reduction.”
This is the second round of layoffs in the past three months for the Wichita-based manufacturer. In
November, 500 employees were let go. Some were laid off while others took a buyout. Those layoffs are just beginning to take effect.
“We still have people working at Cessna,” stressed Oliver. “If you are still on board to get an airplane, we are building them. What is causing the impact is the number of order deferrals or, in the case of single-engine aircraft, lower sales numbers, or what we predict will be lower sales numbers in 2009.”
Oliver says the staff reduction will not alter the release of the first production SkyCatcher, which is expected to roll off the assembly line later this year.
“It will also not affect the development of Cessna products or the support services for existing Cessna customers,” he said.
Oliver could not say how many people would be impacted by this latest round of layoffs because the numbers have not been determined. “They will be across the board,” he said.
For more information: Cessna.com.