Planemaker Certifies Its 100th Plane Built In 2007

With Garmin once again shipping its G1000 avionics suite, following the company's resolution of a problem with the GRS 77 AHRS, on Monday Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing announced it has recalled over half the nearly 300 workers furloughed earlier this month.

The Bend, OR planemaker tells ANN it called back approximately 75 of the employees it furloughed when Garmin suspended GRS 77 deliveries due to a manufacturing problem. The company recalled an additional 106 employees on Monday, and will continue to recall furloughed employees as the production line advances.

To celebrate the commencement of production, on Monday Columbia certified its 100th aircraft of 2007... showing that for all Columbia's recent problems, a lack of customer interest isn't one of them.

"Certifying number 100 for the year is a gratifying moment," said Columbia Aircraft Manufacturing CEO Wan Majid. "Despite the turmoil of certification delays, acts of nature and supply chain disruption, Columbia continues to achieve significant milestones. Granted we’d like to be doing so without as many external challenges, but our team continues to rise to the occasion time and again."

The planemaker's August 14 furlough announcement was the second time Columbia had to announce such news in 2007. As ANN reported in March, Columbia underwent a significant streamlining and reorganization earlier this year, during which time 185 employees were placed on furlough.

That announcement came two weeks after Columbia laid off 59 workers; the furloughed employees were recalled this summer.

FMI: www.flycolumbia.com