New Hires On Horizon

New Piper Aircraft, based in Vero Beach (FL), has gone through the wringer. Five times in the past two years, the once-struggling company has down-sized operations, laying off workers and swimming hard just to stay above water.

But that may be changing.

Over the past six months, Piper has added about 100 employees to the payroll. Executives with the venerable general aviation manufacturer say the corporate picture, darkened by a devastating engine recall two years ago and a slump in the GA economy, is getting considerably brighter.

Still, don't for a moment think that Piper is going to start crowing.

"This is a fragile recovery," said spokesman Mark Miller. "We need to see a very solid economic rebound before we can rebound solidly ourselves."

The light at the end of the tunnel still shimmers, boosting Piper employment from a low of 680 last year to a current payroll of about 1600 workers. In large part, Miller says the government tax break on depreciation has helped. But he says Washington can do more -- both for his company and other GA manufacturers still struggling out of the money pit.

For instance, Miller says the depreciation bonus should be extended. And GAMA agrees.

"It stimulates sales and that's very important to us," said GAMA President Ed Bolen. He says about 85-percent of the GA industry's sales last year were directly attributable to the bonus depreciation act.

Back in Vero Beach, Piper CEO Chuck Suma is reportedly writing every single member of Congress, urging the depreciation bonus be extended.

In the meantime, Miller says there could well be more hires before the end of the year. It all depends, he says, on the pace of economic recovery in America.

FMI: www.newpiper.com