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Hawker Beechcraft announces 2,300 layoffs (stimulus package ignors vital aircraft industry)
Forbes via (AP) ^ | 2/3/09 | Roxana Hegeman

Posted on 02/07/2009 2:38:18 PM PST by Evil Slayer

Airplane maker Hawker Beechcraft Corp. told employees Tuesday that 2,300 of them will lose their jobs before the end of the year and warned more layoffs may be coming.

In a letter to workers, Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Schuster said most laid off workers will be notified by Friday. Nearly 500 Hawker Beechcraft workers also lost their jobs late last year.

In addition to declining orders and deliveries, the Wichita-based company is facing a host of new challenges, Schuster said.

"The government's stimulus package has failed to sufficiently loosen credit markets, which are absolutely vital to the success of HBC and our industry," he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: aviation; harkerbeechcraft; hawkerbeechcraft; layoffs; manufacturing; zerostimulus
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Asking for my fellow FReepers to help out by calling, faxing, writing or emailing their Congressmen and asking why they are allowing our tax dollars to go to ACORN, etc. via the so called "stimulus" package for dead beats and not helping out this vital aircraft company that keeps this country working.
1 posted on 02/07/2009 2:38:19 PM PST by Evil Slayer
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To: Evil Slayer
Only the rich buy airplanes. Next.

ML/NJ

2 posted on 02/07/2009 2:39:35 PM PST by ml/nj
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To: Evil Slayer

Beacuse the aircraft company can’t arrange voter fraud.


3 posted on 02/07/2009 2:40:19 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: ml/nj

They do make the T-1 trainer for the USAF.


4 posted on 02/07/2009 2:42:06 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Evil Slayer

I used to work for Schuster. He is a decent guy.

This division is a niche market aimed at folks with bucks.
This will be tough on the folks in Kansas


5 posted on 02/07/2009 2:42:54 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Army Air Corps

Yes they do


6 posted on 02/07/2009 2:43:58 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

Not to mention the parts inventory for the T-1.


7 posted on 02/07/2009 2:47:41 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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To: Army Air Corps
But this is their bread and butter


8 posted on 02/07/2009 2:53:26 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife
This will be tough on the folks in Kansas

You are so right. My son works there and more than half of the workers in his area were given their notices yesterday. He is a hard worker and has worked there several years. Hopefully, he won't be next but things don't look good and jobs are hard to find now days.

Thanks for any help any of you can do.

9 posted on 02/07/2009 2:53:46 PM PST by Evil Slayer (Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war)
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To: Army Air Corps

Schuster is a troubleshooter.

He has been trying to keep this division viable for close to 10 years.

He was gambling that the composite hull of this plane would pay off. And It will if they survive this economic downturn.

Its a great plane


10 posted on 02/07/2009 2:57:05 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

We are getting killed in Wichita.

Cessna announced 4600 in layoffs, Bombardier 1300, Hawker 2300, Boeing 700. Spirit Aerosystems and Airbus haven’t announced anything yet.


11 posted on 02/07/2009 2:57:40 PM PST by Crazieman (Feb 7, 2008 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1966675/posts?page=28#28)
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To: Evil Slayer

I am just a worker bee like your son.

Best wishes to you. Sadly Barama is gonna hit folks who buy these products


12 posted on 02/07/2009 2:59:03 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Crazieman

I am sorry to hear this.
When will Dems learn?

Is Falcon jet up there too?


13 posted on 02/07/2009 3:00:26 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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note to self: FJ is still in little rock


14 posted on 02/07/2009 3:04:20 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Evil Slayer
They sell light-to-medium aircraft, from single-engine piston trainers to corporate jets. Their crosstown rival, the Cessna company, makes and sells similar-sized aircraft. BOTH are laying off at this time.

Sour economy? Yes, but there's more. Not only is there no bailout, Obama's class warfare has anyone with a business jet thinking he has a target painted on his back. Obama and the Media say they're all elitist fatcats stepping on the necks of the poor. Jets are being sold or hidden away in hangars with doors tightly shut. New orders are nonexistent, I'm sure.

Evidence? Only anecdotal. A friend works in aviation maintenance, replacing brakes and tires - his business is down over 50%...

15 posted on 02/07/2009 3:07:47 PM PST by ZOOKER ( Exploring the fine line between cynicism and outright depression)
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To: ZOOKER

You have nailed it.

All I see Obama doing is killing business.
Whatta ya suppose a CEO salary cap will do to NYC?


16 posted on 02/07/2009 3:12:40 PM PST by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Crazieman

This is a tragedy. American aviation is one of the few remaining industries in which America excels. I don’t have any statistics but would imagine that the marine pleasure craft industry will be similiarly effected. Very sad.


17 posted on 02/07/2009 3:19:14 PM PST by Starboard
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18 posted on 02/07/2009 4:02:53 PM PST by Tony in Hawaii (NUTS!)
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To: Evil Slayer
This brings to mind the effort some years back to impose a luxury tax on yachts and aircraft. They went after the "rich" and destroyed the jobs of thousands of working people.

The rich buy things the working people build!

19 posted on 02/07/2009 4:04:51 PM PST by NoControllingLegalAuthority
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To: Tony in Hawaii

The old Twin Beech AT-11 is a great skydiving platform and a gorgeous aircraft.


20 posted on 02/07/2009 4:07:59 PM PST by gorush (History repeats itself because human nature is static)
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