Create a free Manufacturing.net account to continue

Bombardier Says New Jet, Jobs Still On Track

Aerospace company says plans for its new Learjet 85 assembly line and the added jobs in Wichita that come with it are still on track, despite the financial crisis.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- Bombardier Aerospace says plans for its new Learjet 85 assembly line and the added jobs in Wichita that come with it are still on track, despite the financial crisis.

That's good news for a city shaken by back-to-back announcements earlier this week by Hawker Beechcraft and Cessna Aircraft of work force reductions.

Bombardier spokesman Leo Knaapen said Wednesday that the company is hiring between 500 and 700 people to work at the Wichita plant on Learjet 85. Some engineering jobs have already been filled, and assembly line jobs will be added in the next two years.

Knaapen says the company has a solid backlog and significant new orders.

Bombardier's Wichita site has about 2,800 employees and 300 contract workers.

More in Operations