Hawker Beechcraft: Job Cuts Affect All

Jan 23, 2009
Benet Wilson benet_wilson@aviationweek.com

Hawker Beechcraft sent a letter to employees Wednesday stating that no part of the company will be exempt from the layoffs announced earlier this month.

In a Jan. 8 letter to employees, Chairman and CEO Jim Schuster blamed the worsening economy for having to take the "painful step" of reducing the work force. And Wednesday's letter, Rich Jiwanlal, VP human services said the company was doing "an exhaustive review of our business" to reconcile reduced production with the current work force.

"While details have yet to be finalized, we must be prepared that the reduction could very well touch all areas and levels of the company due to the severity of the challenges we face," he wrote. "We expect to finalize our plan within the next few weeks and at that time we will communicate the details of the reduction. You have my commitment that affected employees will be notified shortly thereafter."

Hawker Beechcraft, which announced a 5% personnel cut in October, is just one of several general aviation manufacturers furloughing employees. In November, Mooney Aircraft Co. terminated the employment of about two-thirds of its workforce, including all production workers. Eclipse Aviation began laying off almost 40 percent of its work force after slowing production of the EA-500. And Cessna announced its own layoffs, reported to be 2,000 workers.

Photo: Hawker Beechcraft