Cessna cuts back production and enforces leave for staff

By Alan Peaford

Cessna is cutting back production on its CJ, Sovereign and Citation X lines and introducing enforced leave for its workforce to match the reduced demand.

And with the latest CJ4 aircraft progressing through its flight-test programme, the Wichita-based company will end the production of the successful Citation Encore series. The last of these Citation 500 series aircraft will be delivered in July.

Cessna president, Jack Pelton told employees: "This continues to be a difficult and tenuous time." Pelton also told staff that the Citation Columbus project is being delayed. "The economic issues facing us today are impacting the future, and circumstances have caused us to extend the engineering development work on the Citation Columbus by at least six months." Entry into service will now be 2015.

The original production target for 2009 was set at 535 Citations. The latest production cuts have led to a revised target of 375. The company also plans production of 125 turboprop Cessna Caravans and 565 single-engined piston aircraft.

© Cessna