Oregon Public Broadcasting

Planemaker Cessna Thursday announced 4600 additional job cuts.

Of that, 120 workers at Cessna’s small plane factory in Bend will lose their jobs.

Central Oregon correspondent Ethan Lindsey reports.

The number of layoffs from Bend’s Cessna plant now totals close to 300.

The staff was 450 when Cessna took over from bankrupt Columbia Aircraft in 2007.

But orders of planes are down precipitously from last year.

A Cessna spokesman said the company is committed to keeping the Bend site open.

Dave Hice is with Epic Aircraft. His company also makes planes in Bend.

He says he expects Cessna to stick around, just in a different form.

Dave Hice: “This is no quick fix. But the aviation industry is here to stay, it's not going anywhere, but it’s a definite reset. Cessna has been affected, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, ourselves. Everyone has been affected.” 

Still, many central Oregon workers have wondered openly whether the Bend factory will remain in business.