31 October 2008
Various aircraft manufacturers are beginning to make their plans for the downturn which has come about thanks to the global financial crisis.
Among the most prominent of these are <b>Cirrus</b>, which has said that it is cutting its workforce further (previous cuts were announced earlier this year), establishing a three-day working week and bringing its production rate down from 14 airframes a week to 12. It also says that the SRS, its Light Sport Aircraft, is being put on hold for the time being.
<b>Cessna</b> also recently announced that it was keeping an eye on its financial situation. Although it’s not currently taking any action, it has warned its staff that there is ‘continued pressure on financial performance’, and that the company is only ‘filing critical positions for now’. A Cessna company spokesman said that despite the hard times, work was continuing on the SkyCatcher and new Citation products.
Elsewhere in the light jet market <b>AAIA</b>, manufacturer of the A700 VLJ (Very Light Jet) has said that it has laid off the majority of its workforce. The company had been hoping to certify the jet (formerly the Adam A700) in 2010, but although engineers who have been retained are still working towards that goal, that target seems likely to slip.
<b>Eclipse</b>, one of the leading VLJ manufacturers, is widely believed to have financial problems, too. Two reports in the past week have suggested that there are rocky times ahead for Eclipse, with one even suggesting that bankruptcy appears likely.
In Europe, <b>Grob</b> – which <a href=’http://www.flyer.co.uk/news/newsfeed.php?artnum=781′ target=’_blank’>filed for insolvency over the summer</a> – is reported to have laid off the majority of its workers, while retaining a skeleton staff in the hope that a major investor can be found.
