Cessna profits plunge......OT (or is it?)

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:gDASb.189493$xy6.974561@attbi_s02...
Revenue at Cessna plunged to $620 million from $896 million
in the year-ago quarter. Profit fell to $43 million from $94
million on lower sales of Citation business jets.

Gee, there's a surprise. I sure hope you didn't have a bunch of money
invested, cuz virtually anyone familiar with Cessna's product-line
predicted
a severe downturn.

After all, other than jets, all they have to offer is a bunch of 50
year-old
designs, albeit with new electronics in 'em. And with used jets virtually
a
dime a dozen now in "Executive Controller," who's going to buy a new one?

Cessna put all their eggs in one basket -- the jet market. When that fell
apart, they had little to fall back on. Meanwhile, Cirrus churns out
three
new airplanes a day, every day...

The market is efficient, but ruthless...

Whadaya wanna bet that when they go back to full production, a "large
portion" is done off-shore?

IMHO, Cessna should do what Cirrus did and bring in some folks who
have experience in JIT ,TPS(Toyota Production System) and other
inovative automotive manufacturing systems.

Cirrus obtained hired several ex-NUMMI(New United Motor Manufacturing)
people who have helped streamline the manufacturing and part supplier
chain. I remembering seeing early production floor pictures from
Cirrus and it resembled a local EAA chapter meeting more that a
production floor. It you see photos of the floor mow it's obvious that
there specific workstations and a real flow to the process.